


With You Until The End: Unexpected Love

by Paige_SJ_Black



Series: With You Until The End [1]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Crime Scenes, F/M, Family, Illegal Activities, Matter of Life and Death, Organized Crime, Past Character Death, Past Events, Past Violence, Realistic, Violence, security footage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-03-13 18:19:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 115,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13576278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_SJ_Black/pseuds/Paige_SJ_Black
Summary: Hopefully book 1 of 4. The Shield had relocated to Florida, a place considered to hold certain doom for anyone involved in illegal business. The place the Brothers of Destruction themselves roam as its protectors. Will the Shield succeed as only one other before them has? or will they make the same mistakes? What happens when a simple job turns complicated for one of the Shield boys? And will the past of The Undertaker come back to haunt him?





	1. Chapter 1 - Events In Motion

The crime of the underworld was no secret to the many Floridian police departments, over the years they had seen many crime lord pass through their areas, most of the time once they entered the border in was only a matter of time before they made a mistake and their crime rings came to crashing end, it being reported all over the news and the police officers responsible for their successful arrest being named and hailed as heroes. The two most known were known as The Brother’s of Destruction, they knew the crime lords better than anyone due to having been in that position in the past but had a change of heart and joined the police force, their knowledge alone had helped put so many behind bars with a life sentence.

“Florida are you sure about that?” asked Seth, looking over to his partner in crime and one he considered to be a brother. He had often agreed with the nickname others in their business had given him. The Lunatic Fringe a name that suited him well and was one that was feared amongst others groups such as their own. “You know everyone in our line of business who has been there haven’t returned, all of them have been caught and sentenced” spoke Seth pushing his shoulder length brown hair to the side and out of his eyes. He knew he was reminding his unpredictable friend of information he was already aware of but just for old time sakes he had to say it to see if it got through. Dean just nodded to the words he spoke. Never really understanding why so many other feared to go there, other than they were afraid to fail as so many before them had done. 

“Not to mention its protected by the Brothers of Destruction yeah I know. But not everyone who has gone there has been caught. Finn Balor went there years ago, he made it okay. Sure people think he is a story told by police to scare others away but he’s never been caught, they have nothing on him, they don’t even know where he is” replied Dean responding with the name of an old friend of there, his little group of Demon’s as he called them had been running crime there for years, the news agents reporting on it but no evidence had been found connecting him to them, he wasn’t even named as a suspect. “Plus the older one of the brothers has a weakness. In the form of a daughter. Pretty hot one at that” added Dean revealing what he had been doing when he disappeared over the last couple of weeks. He placed a little file on the table, making sure it opened on the picture of the dark haired beauty. 

“You suggesting we use her to prevent the Brothers coming after us?” asked Roman unsure of what use she would be to them or even why Dean had been following her over the couple of weeks or so he had been thinking about up rooting to the county of doom as so many in their line of business had called it. Dean shook his head to the question asked, pointing to someone else appearing to be following her, peaking out from their jacket was a police badge although said police office seemed to have missed Karl Anderson also trailing her. She was likely to be a popular one when it come to the crime lords, after all she was the only one they would likely aim at considering aiming at his wife or youngest daughter would no doubt end in disaster. “Then what are you suggesting?” asked Roman, quickly tying his long hair in to a pony tail and then into a bun at the back of his head so it was out of the way, his tattooed arm resting on the meeting table the three were sat around. 

“Going after her is a death sentence plus that’s what the others are gonna try. We do the opposite. Protect her, gain her trust then maybe we will be able to work right under the nose of said brothers. They care for their family, considering she the oldest daughter of the Undertaker, he’s gonna do everything he can to protect her even turn to us” responded Dean sharing with his team mates what he had in mind, he smiled slightly when they looked at him with different expressions. Roman had the are you crazy look, something he really should know the answer to by now and Seth had the look that suggested he was thinking it through, after all he was the one to make the plans and come up with something to combat every scenario possible. He was basically the reason they had survived as long as they did. 

“Maybe going there would also throw Evolution and the Wyatt’s off our tail as well. We know Evolution aren’t crazy enough to follow us, unless they have grown a set over the last couple of months. As for the Wyatt’s who knows with them” replied Seth, starting to like the idea his lunatic partner had in mind. It would solve their current problem with the Wyatt’s and Evolution with luck and kind of give them a fresh start in a new place, it would hopefully give them everything they had been hoping for since Evolution had set their sites of the three of them and their little business they had going. 

“You’re not actually thinking about this are you?” asked Roman, not really sure what was happening. It was a rare occasion when one of them agreed to Dean’s crazy ideas yet it appeared as if one of those times was actually happening now. With Seth nodding to his question while quickly scribbling a to do list on a piece of paper near by and Dean’s victorious grin that he had succeeded where he would normally fail Roman knew he was outnumbered, he could share his opinion and quote the different ways their move could go wrong and what could happen if said things did happen, even how their fates hanged in the balance. Although Roman wouldn’t admit it he hated being outnumbered in a decision, since he was so used to Seth taking his side in things and getting things the way he wanted. He wasn’t sure how he felt about things going the opposite way, and especially wasn’t sure about the risky move to Florida when their was a high chance they could lose what they had worked years for. 

The trio soon went their separate ways, each doing a different task. Dean had been charged with making sure all their supplies were in order, while also making sure everything was in place to have them moved to their new area of operation. Seth had the fun of finding the new place of operations, as well as a well hidden storage place for their endless supplies and a place for each of them to call home when they weren’t doing something. Like with their current one he was also in charge of making a cover business so if they were suspected of anything they would have something to cover their tracks and use as their alibi should they ever need one. Roman on the other hand was tasked with making sure all their employees and clients knew of their move, although not happy about it he knew there was nothing he could do, they had agreed along time ago when making decisions the majority vote got the win. Which was exactly what happened here. 

Over in Florida a few weeks later. The Brothers of Destruction were currently at the Orlando police station, Kane was looking through the many unsolved burglaries, trying to find something that connected them together. He knew there had to be something as it was unlikely this many unsolved burglaries could be in one city especially when they were two of the investigators. The Undertaker however was looking into the newest crime called in, a burglary not too far from the place his oldest daughter in Paige liked to go when she had some time to herself. What scared him was seeing her on the security footage passing the store just moments before the place had been broken into. It was then it hit him on what a potential link could be. 

“Kane check the security footage for all the burglaries. Look for Paige in them” spoke Undertaker, wondering if his own daughter was the link, were the thugs and crime lords targetting area’s she liked to go or were they just targetting her again. The memories of what happened the last time came back to him as if they were a home movie. How he could have lost his Dark Angel. He knew the person to save her remained anonymous from all authorities but had stayed with her until help had arrived. Even going as far as sending her flowers in the hospital. When the Undertaker looked up he seen the confusion in his younger brother’s eyes. The way he looked as if he was about to ask the task he was given. “She appears on this footage just a few minutes before the robbery occurs and each of them are in the area’s of the city she goes to” explained Undertaker seeing the realisation dawn on the features of his younger brother. 

“Will check it out right away. Do you think they are after her again?” asked Kane, knowing Paige was the reason his brother had decided to walk away from the illegal business in the first place. Thanks to what he did she had lost her mother, as well as put in danger countless times. Kane knew that was why the many who wished to bring them back aimed for her, she was only four or five when they left the business but they knew with her demise or injury the Undertaker that left the business would return with a vengeance. Just as the pair were aware they didn’t know of Kaia or Michelle, thrust they were out of harms way. 

“I don’t know. She has Konnor and Viktor there to protect her if need be. I hope for her sake their not. She just barely survived the last time they went after her” replied The Undertaker, he could never forget the call he had received from the hospital that day. The dread he felt when he heard the words spoken or the fear that ran through his veins when he arrived at the hospital with Michelle. He couldn’t forget how lucky she was to survive, although she did have a permanent reminder of the encounter in the form of a scar down the right side of her neck. “I know the men responsible are behind bars and it’s been six years but I still can’t help but worry. She my dark angel just like Kaia is my princess. I would be lost without either of them” added Undertaker, remembering how he had lost Paige’s mother, although the two weren’t married he had loved her dearly being devastated when she was one of the many victims killed in a sniper attack, Paige was just three years old at the time. Too young to understand her mother wasn’t coming home. 

“You still dread the day she finds out what really happened to Saraya don’t you?” asked Kane, he could remember attending her funeral and how his older brother told his daughter her mother had gone away for a little while. He could never bring himself to tell the three year old the truth, even went as far as making Kane promise not to tell her what happened that day. Of course Kane didn’t agree believing she should have been told the truth considering it had been almost twenty three years since that day and the girl was still none the wiser. Although she had asked questions of where her mother was she was never given a straight answer and soon gave up asking altogether knowing she wouldn’t get a proper answer. 

“I know she will find out eventually. Even if we don’t tell her. She’s a smart girl and not a child any more. Yes I do dread it, as I know she is likely to hate me for not telling her and giving her the impression Saraya left when she was young” sighed the Undertaker, he knew when she found out the years of resentment for her mother would turn in to hatred directed at him for allowing her to believe her caring and loving mother had abandoned her. He knew when she did find out then there was a high chance her stubbornness would come into play and she would refuse to speak to him for a while, or argue with him about not telling her the truth when he had the chance to in the past. 

“She appears just before two of the others and according to records she phone one of them in” spoke Kane looking at the footage of three of the cases, finding out she had actually called the police with one of them and had passed the remaining two seconds or minutes before the break in occurred. When he looked over to his older brother he could see the look appear in his eyes, the worry mixed with the dread and uncertainty of what might happen and why the thugs and crime lords were once again targetting his daughter. They should know by now he had no intention of returning to the illegal business. He had promised Michelle that when he found the confidence he needed to tell her the truth about his past. Kane watched as his older brother picked up the phone on the desk besides the pictures of his daughters and wife as well as Saraya, the people he was doing his job for. Just as Kane himself had a picture of his daughters and wife Crystal. 

“Viktor its Mark” spoke Undertaker referring to himself by birth name rather than the one so many of his colleagues knew him as. He could still remember why so many called him the undertaker. “We think the crime lords are targetting Paige again. Be on high alert in case anyone tries to do anything to her” added Undertaker, hearing the response of the man and also his oldest daughter in the background proclaiming she could take care of herself. After all she knew how to use a gun since he had personally trained her and she had opted to take self defence classes. It was also then Viktor reminded him of the formal party Michelle was taking the girls to, something that the Undertaker had clearly forgotten and promised her he would meet her at as Kane had done for his own children and wife. “Thank you for the reminder. Any way report to me or Kane every hour so we know she’s okay” finished the Undertaker before saying his goodbye and hanging up the phone, sighing when he realised he would have to dig out his tux for the evening. 

“A formal evening, you’ve got to be kidding me” spoke Dean, listening as Seth told them about the formal evening that was taking place, all the people who were something in the city and their families would be there. The three of them had receive an invite to go the event, especially since their little business had gained a lot of attention over the weeks they had been there. “You really want me to dress in a waistcoat and act like I belong with the snoopy people who have more money than brains?” asked Dean, he hated to dress in formal wear, especially when he knew he was going to be around people he would no doubt not see eye to eye with. 

“Yes we have to go. We would be idiots if we turned this down” responded Roman from near by, the three of them were currently in the middle of trying to find the tux that suited them. Something that was no easy task when it come to Dean, he was picky at the best of times but when it come to something he didn’t want to do then he was even worse. It could take hours for him to make his mind up and even longer for him to see the reason why he had to do something in the first place. “If you don’t go willingly then I get to have the fun of dragging you there and making sure you stay put” added Roman revealing it was him who had the responsibility to get Dean to the event and make sure he stayed there, something that was no easy task. Dean’s only response was to roll his eyes and sigh at what was to come. They had been in the city for weeks and hadn’t gotten a glimpse of the girl they were trying to keep tabs on, he knew Roman was beginning to wonder how Karl Anderson did it. 

“She’s gonna be there as well by the way. The families are requested to attend so that means little miss impossible is going to be there with her father” spoke Seth changing the subject to the girl they had made the plans for. He had been endlessly teased by Dean when he got frustrated about not being able to find her, something that had gotten on his nerves, Dean had only done it because he spotted something, the attraction Seth had shown to her. How he had put the picture of her near the top of the to do list and made sure it was a picture of her smiling. Plus he had noticed Seth would smile slightly when one of them mentioned her name. Corey being the one to point it out. “Maybe one of us will get close to her, this maybe the break we have been hoping for” added Seth, noticing the smug smile to appear on Dean’s lips. 

“I nominate Seth to be the one to get close to her” responded Dean seeing the look Roman gave him, as it was normally him who was tasked with getting close to people. Roman shot the questioning look Dean’s way, while also noticing the confused look come across Seth’s features clearly showing he was unsure of what to do or even what he was nominated for. “What she would probably avoid Roman like the plague and end up punching me within the first ten minutes of talking so that leaves Seth. Maybe your smooth words can sway her over. Plus she seems like your type. Dark haired and mysterious” added Dean, making a point when it come to him. He could remember how Alexa had reacted to him, almost breaking his nose and leaving a lasting impression when she kicked him rather hard in the groin. He never put anything passed her after that. Instead he nicknamed her fire-cracker. 

“Well there’s my fun task for the evening” sarcastically replied Seth although he knew why he was tasked with getting close to her. Dean did make a good point when it come to Roman, plus her father was unlikely to let someone close to his daughter without doing a huge background check or doing a full blown interrogation on them first. “I will let you know how the interrogation with her father goes” added Seth spotting the amused smile come from Dean and the utterly confused expression to once again paint itself on Roman’s features. Something that earnt a chuckle from both Seth and Dean. Especially when they knew he hadn’t caught on to it, neither were likely to loop him in either, instead play the waiting game to see how long it would take for him to work it out as they normally did. 

“What time does this formal event start?” asked Dean putting on a posh ascent as he picked out a black tux, one of the many female workers there leading him to a dressing room along with Seth and Roman to try on their tux, making sure it fit them properly. Dean also knew he was going to have wear a tie for the event, something he wasn’t looking forward to just like the event itself. “More to the point is there going to be cake?” added Dean, hearing Seth’s chuckle come from his right, he knew what Seth was likely to be thinking, especially when he knew the response he was likely to get back, the last time it had something about joining the dark side since there was cookies. 

“Seven and what type of cake?” responded Seth, both men hearing some employees of the store chuckle slightly at the reply, likely from hearing the amusing conversation between them. They had lightened up since relocation to Florida, their risk had seemed to have paid off, the Wyatt’s had sent the a video message and had gone eerily quiet where as Evolution had just left them alone period, thrust showing they weren’t going to take the risk of being caught by the Brothers of Destruction. The three had by now figured Evolution would have most likely presumed they would be caught and sent down for the crimes they had committed over the years since leaving the Black Ops team they were all a member of. It wasn’t long before they all exited their little changing cubicles, each in the tux they had chosen to try on. Seth in all black complete with the thin black tie. Dean also in black but with a red tie and white shirt on, where as Roman had gone for the complete white one normally reserved for those about to tie the knot with their significant other. Something each of them were yet to do. 

A few hours later seen Paige in her room staring at the black dress she was sent to change into. Her step mother Michelle had treated her as if she was her own daughter since the two had been introduced to each other years before hand. With Michelle being the one going on the war path when he husband and Paige’s father was forbidden to do so by the county sheriff. Paige knew her father would ask if she was okay every few minutes since this was her first big formal event since her close encounter with death six years prior. It wasn’t long before Michelle bung on the door to her room, having welcomed her home when she agreed to live with them again, more so her father wouldn’t give himself a heart attack worrying if she was okay in her own apartment. 

“You okay sweetie?” asked Michelle, opening the door slightly and popping her head through, seeing Paige sat on the small sofa at the end of her bed looking at her black formal dress as if it was about to grow legs and chase after her. Upon seeing the look Paige gave her, she entered the room fully sitting next to the raven haired woman and wrapping her in a hug. At least trying to give her comfort in knowing she wasn’t alone and there was going to be someone there with her. Although she was aware Paige had been thankful for being given a pass on the other annual formal events. “You’ll be fine, your father will be there as will I. Konnor and Viktor will be wondering around near by for extra protection. Kaia will also be fine, she’s a little upset her big sister wont be looking after her but you know she’ll get over it and give this new babysitter hell for the fun of it, just like she promised she would do” added Michelle remembering what her daughter had said she would do if Paige wasn’t the one to babysit her when her parents went to the formal evenings. Paige just smiled at hearing what Kaia would do, in a way proud of her five year old sister. 

“Guess I should get ready. You look awesome by the way the emerald dress really suits you” responded Paige complimenting her step mother with a smile, she noticed how Michelle had done her hair in a high ponytail complete with glittery hairspray to give her blond locks that extra sparkle. Michelle nodded, hugging her one last time before announcing she would be waiting downstairs and leaving the room, closing the bedroom door behind her. Paige sighed before slipping from her dressing gown and picking up the black sparkling dress, although simple in design it was perfect for her as she hated anything that drew too much attention. Once she was in the dress she went into her walk in wardrobe to her make up table, quickly turning on the curling iron and starting to do her make up, going for the normal natural look she loved. 

It was about half an hour later before she appeared at the top of the stairs, Kaia running around suddenly come to a halt upon seeing her, her mouth hanging open upon seeing her big sister looking famine or more so than usual. Michelle soon appeared a smile stretching across her lips, especially at seeing the girl look so different than she normally did and proving she could scrub up pretty well when she put her mind to it. Michelle had also noticed she had taken Kaia’s suggestion to heart and curled her hair putting it up in a loose ponytail like style with the same glittery hairspray as Michelle herself had used, making her raven hair seem like it had small diamonds woven through it. 

“You look just like a princess” spoke Kaia. A smile on her lips as it appears as if she was glowing at seeing her older sister look so different than she normally did. Although still in her signature colour of black. The compliment alone brought a smile to Paige, although the stunned look Michelle gave her was also a factor to it. The amusement she found in it made her wonder what her family would think if she dressed more famine more often, although the more she thought about it the more she realised they would think she was dating someone, and want to know who the guy was. Especially her dad and uncle Kane who would but the poor bugger through the twenty one stages of hell rather than twenty one questions as a normal father or uncle would do. 

“Alright, the babysitter is here, and the limo is outside. So we better get moving if we’re going to get there by seven or just after. Gawking at how lovely Paige looks isn’t getting any of us anywhere” spoke Michelle ushering the twenty five year old down the stairs and towards the double door entrance, satisfied she took the time to tell Naomi where everything was and the numbers to call if anything happened. The young woman seemed happy enough to be taking on the task regardless of the warning, understanding the five year old just wanted to be with her older sister. Paige and Michelle soon left the house, closing the thick wooden door behind them and making sure work of the small steps outside, entering the black polished limo shortly after finally making their way to the formal event they were invited to.


	2. Chapter 2 - Hunted

Paige and Michelle soon arrived at the formal event, both being welcome to the city hall by an employee opening the limo door and giving them a helping hand, before giving them clear instructions on where to go. Paige look to Michelle before breathing a heavy breath and walking up the many stairs to the main entrance, already hearing the classical music playing. She spotted Karl Anderson near by and felt a sense of relief knowing if Konnor and Viktor failed he wouldn’t, after all she was all to aware of who her saviour was six years prior and kept to her word of never telling what to he did for a living. It wasn’t long before they entered the main ballroom, as per usual someone announcing their arrival, Michelle smiling when she spotted her husband already there and in his tux. Both he and Kane met both woman at the bottom of the stairs. 

“You look beautiful Paige” came an Irish ascent from behind her, when she turned around to see who it was being met by the same dark haired Irish man who had saved her life all those years prior. Paige smiled upon seeing him, knowing he would be there despite his status as a crime lord he had actually done a lot of things for different organisations in the city, including giving the police information to help catch others in the city. “I would like you to meet some people, you would be able to turn to them if you ever need help and Karl or Luke aren’t around” spoke Finn offering her his arm, he knew her father wouldn’t ask any questions, after all there had been many times when he had seen the pair together, and Finn himself had already been through the questioning. Although there was a friendship there, that was as far as it went between them. 

“Thank you” responded Paige, knowing Finn would ask why she was thanking him. “For sending someone to trail me in case anything else happens. And for keeping who I really am a secret from the others in the illegal business. I know if they knew who I really was they wouldn’t have left me alone, it was just by luck they went after me then. I don’t want to imagine what would have happened if they knew who I really was” added Paige thanking Finn for not telling anyone who she really was, that she was the daughter of Mark Calaway. Finn just smiled, slowly walking her over to the doors that lead to a balcony, near the French doors were three men. One looked as if he didn’t want to be there, another looked as if he was trying to find someone and the last actually looked like he was trying to find something to distract himself. 

“Your welcome. Its the least I could do since you have kept what I do to yourself since finding out. Plus I know your father only has the police force to rely on, if they fail then you need someone else there to keep you protected. Plus I’m one of them who know your father isn’t going to return to his previous job, so I may as well give him peace of mind his daughter has some form of protection and is safe from others who think he will come back” responded Finn explaining he was well aware her father would never return to the illegal business he now ran, something Finn himself had actually resurrected, although he was surprised they hadn’t caught him considering they would be able to notice his way of operation, as it was an exact replica on how they had done it years prior. “Paige these are Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Their new in town but will help you if you need anything. Guys this is Paige” spoke Finn when the pair reached the three men near the balcony doors, Paige smiled and waved at them, seeing the expression cross the features of two of them. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you Paige” spoke Seth, shaking her hand. He was curious how Finn knew who she was or even how she seemed so comfortable around him. He was a crime lord after all. Roman also looked between the pair wondering if she actually knew what Finn did or if she was like the rest of the city and oblivious to it. “You look amazing by the way” complimented Seth seeing her smile grow a little bit and noticing Dean rolled his eyes from the corner of his eye. For a reason Seth couldn’t understand, he had gone nervous when Finn had brought her over and introduced her to them. He had felt his heart rate speed up as well as his hands go sweaty. 

“Paige is the one I sent Luke and Karl to watch over six years ago. Sadly she’s a walking target. Since I trust the three of you then maybe you could keep an eye on her from time to time as well” spoke Finn his Irish ascent almost breaking the silence that settle over the small group. He knew thing could get awkward. “You really don’t want to be here do you Dean?” asked Finn receiving his reply when Dean shook his head, hearing a small chuckle from Paige as she knew how he felt on that one. Finn smiled when he seen the realisation dawn on their features, he had been the reason why they hadn’t been able to find her. It wasn’t long before other guests began to dance. 

“Do you want to dance?” asked Seth offering his hand to Paige who smiled and awkwardly accepted. It had been years since she had been to one of the formal events, never once had she been asked to dance when she was at one. Seth smiled and lead her to the dance floor as any gentlemen would have. Opting to treat her with respect in order to calm her nerves and his own. Once the two had reacted the dance floor, he gentle place his hand on her waist while allowing her to place her own free hand on his shoulder. The two carefully listened to the beat beginning to move in time with the rhythm. Finn quickly scanned the room, spotting Karl near the dance floor and Luke on the balcony appearing to be watching for any danger. He also spotted Kane whispering something to his brother, no doubt pointing out his daughter was with someone neither recognised. 

“Viktor, Konnor” called Mark, keeping his eyes on Paige. Where as Michelle followed his line of stare and smiled finally seeing Paige with a smile on her lips while doing something she wouldn’t normally do. “Who is that dancing with Paige?” asked Mark when the two finally reached him, he had at least noticed they had stayed near her. One being the near the refreshments table and the other being near the entrance that lead to the rest rooms. Although both of them had failed to notice Paige with a stranger. Kane just shook his head when he realised who it was, having met the three men when he arrived with Crystal and his girls, they were kind enough to introduce themselves and answer all questions directed their way. 

“Relax brother, that’s Seth Rollins, one of the owners of A.R.R” responded Kane when it was clear neither of the two who were supposed to be her protectors had a clue who he was. “He introduced himself earlier on along with his business partners, Finn recommended them. Apparently they used to be in the black ops. Plus she seems comfortable enough with him” continued Kane, trying to calm his brother by informing him of what he knew and pointing out Paige seemed happy enough dancing with the young man. Plus as far as Kane could see he wasn’t any danger to her, in fact he seemed the opposite, looking around when he heard a noise that didn’t seem as if it belonged at a formal evening like the one they were currently attending. 

“He’s right Mark, if Paige didn’t feel comfortable she wouldn’t be out there with a smile” added Michelle trying to keep her husband from storming onto the dance floor and making a scene. She knew Paige would be the one to be embarrassed if he did. Plus she did appear to be enjoying herself, her normal bright smile coming back, something neither of the three had seen since the attack six year prior. Konnor and Viktor returned to their posts soon enough, keeping a watch for any danger, the two of them always found their job amusing. To anyone who didn’t know Paige they would think she was a princess or something as she always had protection around her, when it reality she was just a normal young lady from a 2nd class family. It was just her father couldn’t bare to lose her as he had her mother years prior. 

Finn was the opposite side of the room with Dean and Roman, talking about business when he noticed Luke suddenly duck. That alone worried him as it meant something was seriously wrong. It wasn’t long before the bigger man did the signal all of Finn’s demons were taught when danger was near. Before anyone could do anything gun shots rattled through the room, causing massive panic and those on the dance floor to quickly move to safety, especially when the chandelier fell from the ceiling and shattered upon impact with the polished marble floor. The sound of gunshots soon mixed with panicked screams, especially when no one knew how many shooters there were or even where they were, they didn’t even know if there was a particular target or it was just a random shooting. As soon as it dawned on Seth what was happening he went into his old Black Ops mode, quickly instructing Paige to get down on the floor and crawl to the nearest exit. While also promising he would be with her the entire time. Dean followed behind to make sure no one could grab her, where as Roman headed over for Michelle, knowing it would likely help if she was out of the building safely. 

Finn on the other hand quickly made his way over to Luke and Karl, as well as AJ who had been watching from the entrance, each pulling out their weapons and firing back when they spotted some of the shooters, noticing there was at least seven or eight of them. Each guessing this wasn’t a random shooting, but something that had been planned months in advance, especially when AJ recognised some of them there. They were from the Tennessee way, their boss having working with the brothers of destruction back in their hey day with the illegal business. He knew from then on this was just a cover up to get the Undertaker’s daughter, he knew she would be safe with the two who had opted to get her out of the building and to the safe location only a few knew of. 

“It’s Jarrett’s group. Their after Paige” spoke AJ recognising the logo especially when they had GFW printed on their clothing. “He worked with the brother of destruction before they left to go clean. He’s been trying to get them back ever since, looks as if he finally tracked them here to Florida” added AJ hiding behind a brick wall while bullets flew passed him, he had noticed the only people left in the ballroom now were the dead and seriously injured, as well as both Brothers of Destructions who were attempting to stop those who were causing chaos. Finn looked down when he felt something on his lower leg, seeing a young blond woman there, looking as if she was struggling to breath. He quickly leant down holding both hands over her stomach in an attempt to stop the bleeding although he knew there was a chance she wouldn’t survive considering her white dress had turned into an ombre one of red and white, and the small pool of blood that was forming around her. 

“Laurel come in” came a fuzzy voice, now the shooting had stopped AJ walked over to the girl, recognising her almost instantly and knew she wasn’t an invited guest at the formal party, but rather the one who had given the GFW members the signal when it was the right time to strike. It was now he was beginning to question if they were after Paige at all or if he himself was the target. “Laurel you there?” asked the same fuzzy voice, Karl spotting the walkie talkie where the voice was coming from in her hand underneath the skirt of her dress, quickly picking it up noticing the other tag on the back of the walkie talkie, a sight that made AJ take a sharp breath. “Laurel pick up, you okay?” again added the voice, one that was familiar to AJ more than the remaining three of them, it brought back the memories of his life and work before working as one of Finn’s demons, how he was one of many snipers sent out to do a job every now and again. The four men watched as the blond woman was taken away on a stretcher, the paramedics optimistic she would survive her injuries unaware the four men had nothing to do with her, although one clearly knew who she was. “Laurel your worrying us, everything okay? Answer please” again came the fuzzy voice to which Karl gave the walkie talkie to Finn

“Laurel can’t answer right now, she’s on the way to the hospital since one of your goons hit her” responded Finn, informing the man he knew to be Jeff Jarrett why the girl he was trying to communicate with wasn’t responding to him. “Don’t worry the paramedics are hopeful she will survive the injury she sustained, although I am curious who your target was, AJ, Paige or both?” questioned Finn while also giving the information Laurel would hopeful be okay although probably not as trusting as she once was. He knew she would also be unlikely to trust anyone else either and probably try and disappear if she didn’t return to the group she belonged to. Although Finn hope neither Paige or AJ was the actual target he knew the GFW bunch wouldn’t just randomly attack without purpose or an order to do so, he knew someone in the building had been the target it was just trying to figure out who. 

“Both” responded the fuzzy voice of Jeff Jarrett, his voice filled with seriousness and void of all emotions. “Can’t have a rogue member causing trouble, and as for Miss Knight, if she is eliminated or serious injured The Brothers of Destruction will return” added Jeff, hearing heavy breathing in response although he was unaware it belonged to the one known as The Undertaker, Karl having gone and fetched both brothers of destruction when Finn was asking the questions. “Laurel wasn’t the only one who was in attendance tonight, another is trailing her. Wont be long now” continued Jeff knowing Alberto was following her and knew the two who had gotten her from the building rather well due to his time with Evolution. 

“If anything happens to my daughter, you’ll wish you were never born. I will personal visit Nashville and end TNA or whatever you call it called now” spoke Mark in response revealing he was there and listened to the entire thing. He was struggling to understand why they targetted his oldest daughter to bring him back, especially since losing her the way he lost her mother would just drive him away from the business more and make him thirsty for vengeance and the blood of those who were responsible. “If I lose her I will never come back, I will hunt each and everyone responsible for the misery down, and make sure they suffer how you lot have made her suffer for the past six years. She isn’t a porn in any ones game, she’s my daughter” added Mark, knowing there was little chance they would leave her alone, especially when he knew if he didn’t return to the business then they would make him suffer and likely to regret leaving it in the first place. 

With Seth and Dean they were currently driving to the safe house although not the one Finn had told them about. The duo had taken the black SUV and instructed Paige to stay down while in the back seat something they were thankful for when Alberto and whomever his wingman was started shooting at the car. They were thankful they had done the modifications to it now as it prevented any of them being injured when a bullet went through the glass or through the mental of the exterior. Paige at this point was directing Dean where to go knowing their was places they could lose the one who appeared to be trailing them and had opened fired, after all she did knew the city better than the two in the car with her and the one who had followed them. 

“Alright when I pull into the parking lot on the six floor you two get out and into the other one Roman put there the other day, I will lead this guy astray” spoke Dean while following Paige’s instructions. He could guess she was feeling the same as he was when it come to formal parties, and probably had no intention of going to another one any time soon. Especially if this experience was anything to go by and her expression. “Not how you expected the night to go?” asked Dean quickly looking around at Paige, he knew she was going to respond with something, as Seth did. “Multi story coming up get ready” spoke Dean before putting his foot on the gas and leaving Alberto in the far distance for the time being, he quickly turned into the car park, narrowly missing the by standers as he went in, and dodging the pillars holding the structure up as he went from one floor to the next. Seth had lost count of how many cars they had just missed while skidding around each of the corners with a sharp screech of protest from the tires. 

Once the trio arrived on the sixth floor. Seth quickly got from the car, helping Paige out and leading her to the stairs, listening as Dean sped off to the upper floors in an attempt to throw Alberto off the trail and distract him from realising the girl he was after was no longer a passenger in the car. The two stayed in the stair well for what felt like forever but in reality was only around five ten minutes, listening as Dean come back down from the upper floors and what appeared to be another car following him. Seth had made sure Paige was hidden in the shadows of the stairwell so if anyone was with Alberto they wouldn’t notice she was there, thrust she would be able to escape quicker. 

“You cold?” asked Seth spotting her leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around herself, shivering. He was unsure if it was the shock of what happened or if she was actually cold, it wasn’t the warmest night and the parking lot like all of them had no central heating. He watched as she nodded before taking off his tux jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders, attempting to give her some warmth while they waited until the coast was clear to go up four levels and fetch the back up car, luckily it had the same modifications. “You’ll be okay, nothing will happen while your under my protection” added Seth, seeing a small smile appear although he could tell it didn’t reach her eyes. 

“You work in the illegal business don’t you?” asked Paige, surprising Seth a little. He hadn’t expected her to ask any questions like that, he nodded none the less. “Thought so, Finn tends not to trust others outside of his demons, unless he has come across them before. And yes I do know what Finn actually does” added Paige revealing she was all to aware of what Finn did for a living and she had actually in a way been protecting him as much as he had been protecting her over the last six years. Seth soon held out his hand to her, feeling as her cold hand slid into his. Once he had a secure grip he began to lead her up the several flights of concrete stairs, their foots steps echoing in the dimly lit stair well. Both noticing the even numbers were painted in green where as the odd numbers were in a purple-ish colour. The number of the floor written in huge numbers to the left of each door, with a small window to the right of it although tinted. 

“How do you know about the illegal business?” asked Seth, as he turned to Paige before walking through the door to the tenth level door, both could feel the breeze of cold air before even opening the musky green door. “The car keys are in the left pocket” added Seth watching as Paige turned so the left pocket was facing him, he quickly reached in and got the bundle of keys noticing she had taken her necklace off at some point, putting it in the pocket with the keys. He quickly looked through the window attempting to see if there was anyone who appeared to be from the TNA business waiting for them or anyone acting of suspicious nature besides themselves. “Okay come on” spoke Seth, once again offering her his hand and leading her to the identical SUV as the one Dean was driving, this time however he directed her to the front passenger seat. 

“Both parents were apart of it, it’s how they met. I had just turned five when my dad and uncle Kane decided to start new and leave the business. Mum left us when I was three. As you probably know once your apart of that world it’s difficult to get away from it. Those who want to bring dad back aim at me where as those who want to get Uncle Kane back tend to aim at Emma and Summer” responded Paige to Seth’s earlier question, he only nodded to her reply quickly realising although young when her father left the business she could still spot the signs in someone’s behaviour, plus she was close friends with Finn to the point he sent protection for her, almost making it a top priority next to staying hidden from the authorities in the city. “How about you how did you end up doing this?” asked Paige at least trying to get to know her protector, she had questioned both Luke and Karl when she caught them, although it took her months to realise Karl was there, he had stayed hidden, watching her from a distance. 

“The company we worked for as Black Ops, they tried to assassinate us because of what we knew. They had succeed with silencing the other members of our team, but failed with us. In order to hide we used the skills we picked up to create our own business to combat them. When it didn’t work we relocated lucky for both me and Dean we used different names in the black ops, so we were able to use are real names when going into hiding. Roman not so lucky, that’s why he is constantly looking over his shoulder, he’s afraid if they find him they will find me and Dean as well” responded Seth revealing after their releases from the Black Ops they had been targeted as liabilities with too much information on the company they had worked for. They had used their skills to survive and make a living for themselves. 

“Your secret is safe with me” replied Paige, giving him comfort she wasn’t going to tell anyone the three who had recently moved to the county were actually running an illegal business behind the doors of A.R.R. “You’re the reason I’m still alive, and both you and Dean have made sure I’m safe even now, with Alberto or whomever he is running around” added Paige, in her own way saying thank you to him and the remaining two for keeping her safe even when they didn’t have to. Seth smiled at hearing her words, the plan they had made together before relocating to Florida had worked, they had gained her trust, although not in the circumstances he would have hoped. 

“We will be at the safe house soon, you’ll be able to call your dad from there” spoke Seth when a silence had fallen over the duo. Paige looked over to him, just noticing the top of his right arm bleeding. Concern and worry took over as she couldn’t remember him saying anything nor could she remember seeing it before. It was then she remembered she had his tux jacket on, quickly looking to the right arm she seen what appeared to be a small hole which had been scorched by something. “It’s just a flesh wound, the bullet grazed my arm. Nothing to worry about” added Seth when he realised she had noticed the wound he had sustained while getting her to safety. He soon pressed a button near the overhead light, watching as the gates in the distance opened as the car got closer to them. “Welcome to Shield Mansion” continued Seth once he started driving up the drive way. “It’s a safe house, since all of us live in our own places, this is basically our HQ. You’ll be safe here” explained Seth knowing she would likely ask questions. 

“Have you got a first aid kit here?” asked Paige determined one way or another his injury was going to be tended to regardless whether he had suffered worse injuries in the past. He nodded before as they walked up the front path to the double door entrance. Upon entering Seth checked the alarm noticing it was active meaning no one was in the house and the timer on the lights had done its job. He swiftly deactivated the alarm while keeping the security system online, considering it would go off if someone tried to enter through a window or outside door or without a key, after deactivating the alarm he went to the side cabinet near the reception room door, motioning for her to follow him shortly after. Upon entering the room he gave her the first aid kit and sat down on one of the chair around the table at the far side of the room. 

“Had training?” asked Seth, watching as she got the things out she would be needing, including the needle and thread. Even watching as she disinfected the needle to make sure it was free from any bacteria. She soon nodded in response, taking the hair band she had around her wrist and putting her raven hair in a pony tail so it was out of her face. Seth on the other hand unbuttoned his shirt, carefully taking it off and revealing his sculpted torso, wincing a little as he slid it down her right arm, feeling the numbness and burning pain as he did so. Paige soon started to clean the blood off his arm with a wet wipe, seeing Seth had been right when he said it was just a graze from the bullet. 

“I don’t suppose you have a lighter anywhere do you?” asked Paige, breaking the comfortable silence between the pair of them, although she had spoke quietly it had sounded as if she shouted due to it being only the two of them in the large mansion. Paige smiled slightly when he gave her a questioning look with a hint of terror on what she might do with the lighter. “Relax it’s just so I can sterilise the needle a bit more. Will also help the injury heal faster” explained Paige seeing the relief replace his previous look, to which he stood from his seat, walked around the table to where the many comfy looking fabric sofa’s were. He went inside one of the draw on the closest side table, pulling out a candle lighter and returning to his previous position handing the lighter over as he did so. 

“I must admit I’m curious about you” spoke Seth once he sat down holding his arm out so she could stitch up the wound he had suffered. Paige hummed in response, while she began to stitch the wound up although she was interested to know what she had done to peak his curiosity. “Not many girls know first aid, have a knowledge of the underworld and go with someone they just met, let alone help that said person with an injury. Any normal person would have ran a mile or demanded I go to A&E” added Seth explaining what he had meant when he said he was curious about her. He had to admit he was kind of looking forward to finding more out about her and just generally get to know her, all her unique twist others didn’t have. He look forward to just getting to know her as a person rather than an object others seek to have or destroy. 

“Any normal person doesn’t have a father or uncle who was once in said underworld and would have probably ended up dead by now. Plus if your anything like Luke or Karl then you will insist you don’t need to go to the hospital. So it’s easier to patch you up here, saves any disagreements and the risk of someone finding us” responded Paige, finishing the stitches and putting antiseptic cream on along with wrapping a bandage around his upper arm, making sure it stayed in place with the medical tape that was in the first aid box. Once done she put the things she used away while making sure to disinfect the needle again just to be on the safe side. Seth watched her with interest, almost like she was something he had never seen before. 

“Thank you” spoke Seth his voice a little shaky with nervous, although he was wondering why it was affecting him now other than being alone in a huge mansion with her while also being topless. “Here, so you can call your family, let them know your safe. It’s likely to just be the pair of us until tomorrow morning, Dean wont risk coming here when he knows there is someone hunting you, and Roman avoids this place unless he has to come here for meeting and things” added Seth handing her the wireless phone and explaining it would just be the pair of them until the morning when the employee’s of the household returned for the day’s work. Paige nodded in thanks while tapping in her family house land-line number knowing someone was likely to be there, even if it was just Naomi who picked up. 

“Hey Michelle, it’s me Paige” spoke Paige, hearing the relief in Michelle’s voice when she said who it was. She heard Michelle call for her father, the sound of happiness and the relief mixing together in her voice to learn her step daughter was okay and wasn’t one of the thirty victims of the shooting earlier in the evening. “I’m fine dad, Seth and Dean got me to safety. Someone was following us so I’m gonna stay hidden until they give up looking. I will send to a message or call you every day to let you know I’m okay” responded Paige to the questions her father asked. She knew he would worry for her safety, especially since Jeff Jarrett had made it clear he had sent someone after her and Paige herself had confirmed it for him. “Love you all. Bye” spoke Paige, tears coming to her eyes at hearing her little sister again, although there was a huge age gap between them she still loved her sister as any older sibling would.


	3. Chapter 3 - Daddy's Lies

The following day come around silently for the duo in the mansion. Seth was only woken up by the constant sound of the buzz of the front gate sounding suggesting someone was waiting to enter the property. He knew it wasn’t any of them who called the mansion their work place or either of his partners due to all of them knowing the pass code. Upon hearing the buzzer he looked at the time seeing it was only half five in the morning, although he slowly rose from the bed and stretched a little as well as rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he made his way down to the security hub to check the cameras pointing at the front gate. A small smile stretching over his lips when he seen the figure of his older brother standing there with an annoyed expression over his features at having to wait so long. Seth soon pressed the button to open the gates allowing the older man through with his car. 

“Could you not have picked a more reasonable time to visit?” asked Seth upon opening the door to his older brother while also looking to the stairs to make sure Paige hadn’t been woken up by the rather annoying yet constant buzzing. Punk just smiled and hugged his brother, curious as to why he was at the mansion and why he looked to the stairs, by rights the only people who should have been there were Bayley, Alexa, Corey, Sami and Kevin neither of which appeared to be. “What are you doing here anyway?” added Seth struggling to recall when he had last seen Punk or even when they had last spoken, while also keeping his voice down, although a big mansion the empty rooms and halls had a tendency to create echoes and turn normally spoken words into ones that sounded if there was an argument occurring. 

“I phoned Roman last week to let you know I was coming. He said he would pass on the message. And I was aiming to be here about ten so I apologise for being five hours early. Why do you keep looking upstairs for” responded Punk, taking off his jacket and hanging it with the others on the rack, while also using his reflection to make sure his hair hadn’t gotten out of place in the slight windy whether outside, although the wind was little more than a breeze than anything else. Punk watched as his little brother once again looked up the stairs, a tired look in his eyes although from what made Punk curious as he knew his brother liked to live a quiet life despite running an illegal business behind closed doors. 

“Didn’t get any message from Roman” replied Seth walking into the living room, noticing Paige’s heeled shoes from the night before were neatly tucked next to the sofa near the coffee table. Punk followed behind him just noticing the top of his right arm bandaged up. “And I keep looking up stairs because Paige, The Undertaker’s daughter is here. I brought her here after the shoot out at the city hall last night” added Seth revealing the trio had indeed found the girl they were searching before leaving for Florida weeks prior, the expression on Punk’s face changed when he realised the danger it could put them in, she was after all the number one target of so many others, there wasn’t much to say her father would hunt them down for keeping her from returning home. 

“The Undertaker, are you friggin’ nuts? What’s to stop him coming after us now she’s here?” asked Punk the concern in his voice showing through rather clearly. He was thankful his brother had survived after the company targetted him for assassination but he didn’t see how keeping the girl there was any better especially when the said girl was the daughter of the one man no one could get passed. She would be the downfall of everything they had built if he had to find out who they really were. “What’s to stop her running back to her dad and telling him who you guys really are and what you do?” asked Punk wondering if either of them had thought about that, although this was his brother, the man was the soul reason the trio had survived this long in the underworld and why so many feared them, considering he always had a back up plan in case anything went wrong. 

“Her dad knows she’s with us. Plus she promised she wouldn’t tell anyone, like she hasn’t told anyone Finn’s secret. She’s known what he does for the last six years, since she saved her life” responded Seth revealing her father knew she was with them due to him allowing her to call her family the night before, so she could inform them she was safe and she was going to stay out the way for a little while. “I’m not stupid Punk. I know we have to gain her trust, its not going to be an easy task considering others like us try and kill her on a daily basis” continued Seth, hearing the voice on the alarm go off. He quickly went across the hall to the security room, followed by Punk to check what was going on and what the voice was saying. 

“1st floor guest bedroom 5 balcony door open” spoke the animated voice like it was on repeat. Seth quickly got the footage up for that room, knowing no one was in there, as he was in his own room where as Paige was down the hall from him in guest room 2. There on the footage he noticed two masked figures climbing on to the balcony and picking the lock to the doors, unaware by doing so they had triggered a silent alarm. “Paige” whispered Seth before going over to the small closet and reaching for the loaded shot guns, handing one to his brother before running up the stairs, making a be line for the room she was located in rather than go on the search for the two intruders. Knowing if he did go after the intruders there was a higher chance they would get to Paige before he got to them. 

“Where is she?” asked Punk, upon entering the room, noticing the bed had been messed up signalling someone had been sleeping in it. He also noticed the sparkly black dress crumbled up on the sofa at the end of bed, like someone had picked it up and thrown it aside when they got a glimpse of what they were looking for. Seth silently signalled for his brother to check the walk in wardrobe while he checked the on suite bathroom just to make sure she wasn’t there. The concern the pair of them felt sinking in especially when the power in the mansion went out, leaving the room they were in, in total darkness, with only the light from the sunrise peaking through the curtains allowing them to see. “She’s not in the wardrobe” whispered Punk upon returning from the lasciviously stock wardrobe. 

“Paige” whispered Seth when he bung on the door leading to the bathroom, when he received no reply he tried the handle, noticing it was unlocked and also guessing she wasn’t in there. His suspicions being proven right when he checked inside, shaking his head when he come out. He knew she had to be in the mansion somewhere although where was the question. It wasn’t too much longer before gun shots were heard, leading the two men to quickly exit the bedroom and follow the banging sound. There at the top of the stairs stood Dean, a rather amused look on his features that he had caught the enemy despite the early hours in the morning. “Have you seen Paige?” asked Seth wondering if his brother had seen her while he had immobilised one of the two intruders. 

“You lost her” responded Dean wondering how he had managed to lose the girl in the first place. Although he had guessed the two who had broken in were no doubt after her. “Might want to find her. This guy was carrying this” added Dean holding up the picture he had grabbed off the man now lying unconscious on the floor. He could tell they were from out of town and had no doubt been hired to kill her. “Roman is checking the perimeter to make sure there isn’t any more of them” continued Dean, watching as Seth turned his head to look in the direction he had come from a few minutes before hand, something obviously gaining his attention. “What?” asked Dean, curious on what his brother had seen or heard that got his attention. 

“Shh” responded Seth holding his hand up before creeping back down the hall, Punk on the other hand leant down to check if the mask man on the ground was actually alive. As well as removing the mask to reveal someone neither of them recognised. His dark hair short and neat just as his beard had been neatly trimmed, although he now had a bloody and possible broken nose as well as a rather nasty looking black eye from where Dean had caught him off guard and knocked him out. Seth on the other hand continued to creep down the hall, making sure to miss all the squeaky floorboards. He gently pushed the door to his own room open, noticing some things out of place, the picture frame on the draws was now of the floor and broken, just as he had noticed the rug now had a red stain on it, to which he followed which caution, hoping it would lead to the person he was trying to find. 

“Looking for this?” came voice in the darkness, causing Seth to turn around quickly. When he did he was met with the sight of one of the Wyatt’s. Bray to be exact, standing next to him was Luke and Erick. Erick with the normal white sheep mask on, Luke however had hold of a struggling Paige. She was determined she wasn’t going to go anywhere with them willingly considering they had pulled her from her peaceful slumber and all but dragged her to the room she was now in. Luke holding a hand over her mouth to prevent her calling out for help. “She’s a pretty little thing. Although I wonder how beautiful she will be once her father’s past catches up with her” added Bray his iconic and almost sinister laugh following shortly after. Something that clearly made Paige uncomfortable. 

“She has nothing to do with what her father did and you know it. Just like she has nothing to do with our war” responded Seth figuring Bray and his little family knew something about her father that he and the other members of the Shield didn’t. Bray just looked over to Luke, signalling for him to do something to which the taller man nodded before removing his hand from over her mouth, although he kept the arm around her, keeping her prisoner and making sure she couldn’t get away when they least expected it. After they were expecting her to be quick thinking and ready for anything when it come to those in the illegal business due to her past with it although only a young child at the time. It was then Seth noticed her lower arm bleeding, to which he looked back at the broken picture frame, quickly realising she had knocked it over in order to make a noise in the hopes someone would hear it. 

“But her daddy hasn’t been honest with her. Considering he let her think her mother walk away when in reality she was one of the many victims of a shooting. He never allowed her to really mourn her mother, instead he allowed her believed she left, to hate someone who loved her dearly” said Bray revealing what really happened to Saraya all those years prior as well as seeing the look in the eyes of Paige, the look of devastation as it hit her, the woman she had hated for so long hadn’t left as she had been lead to believe but had died because of the actions of someone else. It was then she looked down, tears in her eyes and realising her beloved dad had lied to her for so long. She felt betrayed and broken not sure if she could trust her own family any more let alone those around her. “Let her go” commanded Bray, watching as Luke gently removed his arm from around her, letting her fall to the floor in a teary mess. “Maybe you will be good for her. Rest assure our war stays between us, she deserved to know the truth” continued Bray before walking from the room, noticing the two who had served as their distraction had been caught, to which he nodded to Erick and Luke once more, watching as both pulled out their guns and executed the two before leaving. 

“Did they just kill those guys?” asked Dean slightly confused as to what was going on, he was also concerned as he could have sworn they come from Seth’s bedroom, and the general direction he had sneaked off into earlier on. “Seth” shouted Dean, quickly running down the hall when it dawned on him, one of the two he called brother could be seriously hurt or worse. Upon entering the room Dean was met with Seth on the floor near the draws, the dark haired girl from the night before curled up in his arms, in tears and with a rather large gash on her lower left arm. Relief washed over Dean at seeing both appeared to be okay, although he could see the worry in Seth’s eyes, suggesting something was wrong. “I’ll get the spare kit from your bathroom” announced Dean quickly making his way into Seth’s on suite bathroom and retrieving the medical kit from in there. He knew he would be the one to deal with the injury, since Seth was still trying to clam her. 

“It’s okay Paige, it’s okay. They’re gone now” whispered Seth, a soothing tone to his voice, he was at least thankful they didn’t hurt her. It actually appeared as if they had only come to tell her what her own father refused to. He was content on rubbing her upper arms in comfort while also stroking her black locks. Anything he could do to keep her calm. “Dean’s gonna help with your injury okay, he’ll be gentle” added Seth still with the same whispering tone, a small smile coming to his lips when she didn’t try and struggle against Dean when he gently took hold of her arm in order to clean the wound caused by the broken glass, he even removed the shards of glass still there, as well as bandaging it up as best he could. After he was finished he quickly reached for the phone, knowing what she needed more than anything was to know if what she had just heard from Bray was the truth or not. 

“Call your dad, find out if what Bray has just said is the truth. You’ll probably hate the answer at first but at least you will know. If it is true then we’ll all be here to help you through it. You’ll have a place to stay, someone to talk to, anything you need until you think you can handle everything again” spoke Dean, holding the wireless phone out to her, watching as she slowly nodded and took the phone. Although it was clear she was dreading the answer considering she was shaking as she tapped the number in for the place she had called home for so long. He smiled at her soon after, knowing she would more than likely ask him and Seth to stay with her, something he knew Seth already had every intention of doing considering he hadn’t made any attempt to move from behind her. Dean smiled when she handed the phone back to him, watching as he put it on loud speaker, then once again giving it to her. A small smile appearing on her lips although it was anyone’s guess how much longer said smile was going to be there. 

“Hey dad, it’s me Paige” spoke Paige, her voice shaky from the experience she had just endured although they didn’t appear to mean any harm to her. Actually they seemed to mean the opposite since they had gotten to her before the other intruders did. They had even agreed she had nothing to do with the so called war between them and the boys she was staying with. “I’m fine, I just want to ask you something about mum. Please be honest with me” responded Paige when her father asked if she was okay, she knew it was probably obvious she had been crying about something, the slight hiccup every now and again would go in favour of it, as would the sniffling. Upon mentioning her mother, she could hear him take a sharp breath, like he wasn’t expecting her to ask after so long of leaving it be. “Is mum dead?” asked Paige, hoping if her father had hidden it from her he would come clean now she had found the truth out from someone else. “Why did you tell me before?” she asked again when he confirmed what they Wyatt’s had said was true. At this point she was losing faith in everything she had grown up around but especially in the man she thought she could trust no matter what. “Thank you for finally telling me the truth. Goodbye papa” responded Paige before hanging up the phone, finally giving into her tears. 

“I’ll call Renee, see if she can help us out” spoke Dean knowing he could trust the woman he mentioned. After all he had trusted her with his life on many occasions, never once regretting it. He could always remember when he revealed his relationship with her to both Seth and Roman. How Roman was generally surprised, with Seth congratulating the pair of them on their happiness, as well as finding each other. Seth only nodded to the words Dean had spoke, having faith the other blond would be able to help Paige better than anyone else, one like Paige she was female and she had also been in a similar situation to the younger dark haired one. With being targetted by someone. Evolution had aimed at her when they realised Dean had a strong attachment to her, knowing if something happened to her it would devastate him. 

“Come on, it might help to get some rest. Been a pretty eventful morning, and night” whispered Seth, helping her to her feet and walking her from his room, an arm wrapped around her shoulders the whole time so she knew he wasn’t going anywhere. He soon opened the door to the bedroom she had occupied over the last few hours, he was about to leave her to it when she grabbed hold of his hand, forcing him to turn back to her. He could see the tears in her eyes still waiting to fall, just as he could see the pain of everything spread across her features. Everything had been fine the morning before, just like any other day, yet the night had brought chaos and that particular morning and brought a rather painful truth to her and revealed her father had never told her the truth on what really happened to her mother. “You want me to stay with you?” asked Seth, watching as she nodded to his question. A small comforting smile appear on his lips as he nodded to her in response, walking her to the bed and making sure she was comfortable under the many layers of blankets. “I’ll be right next to you, just on the blankets instead of under them” added Seth, placing a hand on her shoulder so she knew he was there, although the dip just behind her would have gave that away and his body heat. 

Downstairs Punk was assessing the damage while Dean spoke to Renee on the phone. Roman had finally entered the mansion after deeming there wasn’t any more intruders outside. Although he did had a run in with the Wyatt’s. There had been many times the three of them had come face to face with the Hounds, each time they gave a warning to him while leaving Seth and Dean alone, it was almost like he was being singled out or they knew something no one else did. Upon entering the mansion Roman was met with Dean on the phone and Punk appearing to be looking at the security footage, although it appeared he was looking for something considering he had the footage on fast forward while looking for something. 

“We need to up the security on this place” spoke Dean from besides Roman, making the bigger Samoan jump slightly, clearly not heard the one they had come to call Lunatic, say his goodbye to Renee or even hear him take some rather heavy footed steps across the hall from one of the rooms to the other. “Both intruders got in here with little to no efforts, the skipped the fencing. We don’t even know how the Wyatt’s got in this place, lucky for us they had no ill intention. They just come to tell Paige the truth about her mother and keep her hidden from the intruders. If we stand any chance of keeping her alive then we have to do something about the security” added Dean explaining what he meant and also how lucky they were the Wyatt’s didn’t mean any harm to them, as things could have been drastically different if they did. Meaning Paige could have been a goner and Seth probably joined her. 

“I called Finn, he’s on his way over here. Maybe we stand a better chance working with him. He knows The Undertaker’s past better than anyone else we know. Maybe even better than little miss does” responded Roman revealing he knew if they were going to stand any chance at keeping her safe now they would have to team with people who already had experience in keeping a close watch on her. Finn and his Demons. Plus Finn come with the added bonus of knowing her father’s past, and would be able to help Seth make some pretty detailed planned in case anything happened to go astray. “Where is she anyway?” asked Roman, noticing Punk had come downstairs, and Dean had after checking over the first floor and calling his significant other for help on something. He also assumed Seth was down there somewhere probably already working on plans for the new security. 

“Upstairs in Guest B 2, Seth is with her. She’s just found out her dad lied to her for god knows how long. That her mum is dead. Add that to the events that took place last night. Its a pretty stressful time. So he’s making sure she gets the rest needed. That also means we’re left to make the plans as best we can since it’s gonna be best she isn’t left alone” responded Dean revealing the missing hound was actually with her, deeming it safer if she had someone there in case anyone else tried to break it, plus they didn’t know if there was any more than just the two assassins out there looking for her. Whomever sent her must have been watching her considering the two goons had a recent photo of her so they knew who they were hired to kill.


	4. Chapter 4 - Welcome Home Princess

“She knows” spoke Mark, turning around to see his wife standing there a confused expression on her features most likely wondering who it was ringing them at almost six in the morning, the concern there as well considering the solanum look on his features, it only meant Paige had discovered something she was never meant to. Michelle was all to aware there were many things he had hidden from her, always saying it was to protect her from his past. He knew the true reason why she had been hunted throughout the years but never once tried to tell her, instead he kept it from her. “She knows her mother is dead, someone told her” continued Mark revealing to Michelle, someone had informed his oldest daughter of the true fate her mother had endured, although he could never bring himself to tell her the worry he now had for Paige. 

“She was going to find out sooner or later, you know she would have” responded Michelle, knowing Paige was a smart young lady, she would have stumbled across the truth sooner rather than later. “You will just have to accept she’s going to be angry you never told her the truth, but you also know she will come to see why you never told her eventually, she will come home” added the blond woman, realising there was a high chance the raven haired girl wouldn’t want to come home at the moment, she was probably feeling as if her whole life with her father was a lie at this point. “She will come home once she has found who she is again” finished Michelle knowing from her husband’s expression there was more Paige didn’t know and probably something she herself didn’t know. 

“It was no accident Paige was the one attacked six years ago. They knew who she was, the people who sent them after didn’t realise how important she is. Every day since I left the business I have been trying to protect her from the truth, to keep her hidden and safe” replied Mark revealing it wasn’t a coincidence his daughter was attacked and almost killed back then, although he knew they were unaware she was his daughter they had attacked her because of who her mother was and what she had inherited at the time of her mother’s death all those years prior. “Her mother was Saraya Knight, we never married but Paige was her only child, when she died Paige inherited everything, an entire illegal business, millions, at least three mansions everything Saraya owned went to Paige. She is by birth the owner of one of the biggest illegal business in the world” explained Mark, revealing he had hidden his daughter’s true heritage from her and everyone around them, only Kane was aware of what she had inherited. 

“You have to tell her. Before something happens. She has already found out her mother was killed in a sniper attack. Do you want her to find that out the same way?” spoke Michelle, horrified to learn her step daughter had been the target of multiple assassination attempts because of what she had unknowingly inherited when she was so young. “You put her in more danger by not telling her the truth, you took away her right to choose what she wanted to do. I know you were trying to protect her but you should have told her the truth when she was old enough to know, at least that way she would have been prepared for them to come after her. All this time you let her believe they were after her because she was your daughter, when it was because of this and what she unknowingly owns” continued Michelle forcing him to see the error of his ways, by not telling her he had put her in more danger, made it easier for the people hunting her to get her. Although she wouldn’t know anything if they asked about it, it still wasn’t the point. 

“If I tell her I will lose her. I don’t want to lose her, she’s all I have left of her mother. She’s all that remains of Saraya” responded Mark, revealing he was aware he would lose her either way, if he didn’t tell her and something happened he would lose her that way. If he did tell her the truth on why they were really after her, then there was a chance she would go away and never return. Either way he knew her hatred for him would grow. “Either way I lose her, I don’t think I could handle not seeing my princess again. I did this to protect her” added Mark, almost like he was trying to convince himself he was doing the right thing by not telling her. Even when he knew she deserved to know the truth. He knew there was someone out there who already knew who she was, besides Jeff Jarrett. He knew someone else had to know, the attackers six years prior they weren’t sent by anyone he recognised, neither he or Kane had heard of the name they had said was their employer. 

Back at the Shield head quarters, Finn had arrived with Luke, Karl and AJ. Each knowing from the two bodies on the floor and the call they had received from Roman something had happened, they knew it was serious if they were willing to team with them to keep her safe. Finn stepped over the two bodies noticing both of them had taken a single bullet to the head, he knew this wasn’t the work of either of the Shield boys, after all they preferred the more hands on way, especially Dean who had been known to get himself into fights with his enemy before hand, Roman on the other hand preferred to keep his hands clean and use a gun, but normally with him there was at least three shots. 

“What happened?” asked Finn, he knew as did his demons who had done this. The single bullet to the head in the execution style was ominousness with the Wyatt Family. “Is she okay?” quickly added Finn almost as if he was afraid of something. He knew he was the only one there to know who Paige really was and what she inherited when her mother was killed. Just as he knew when she found out she would also work out he hadn’t revived her father’s business but used his tactics to hide who it really belonged to. Dean looked up upon hearing the Irish accent, it was near enough unmissable to those who knew him, a small smile appearing on his features at seeing how worried the one who had stayed undetected by Mark Calaway for so long was about Paige. 

“She’s fine, Seth is with her upstairs, a minor injury to her left arm when she was trying to get someone’s attention. The Wyatt’s actually helped us out, the got to her and hid her before these two did” responded Dean, revealing the Wyatt’s had only protected her from the two lying dead on the lobby floor, as well as informing the group of four she had suffered a minor wound to her arm when she knocked over the picture frame in Seth’s room. “Oh they also told her the truth about her mum, she phone her dad who confirmed it” added Dean seeing the concern appear in the eyes of Finn to learn she knew the truth on what really happened to her mother. Dean knew something wasn’t right although he highly doubted any of them would get a straight answer if they asked. 

“Is something wrong?” asked Punk also noticing the concern to come to Finn’s eyes upon learning Paige was now aware her mother was indeed dead. AJ looked to Finn where as Luke and Karl checked for any sort of ID on the pair who had been sent to eliminate her, curious to see who had sent them in the first place. They had both guessed it was someone unknown due to the two of them also being unknown to any of them. Although they were curious to know if the Wyatt’s had something to do with them since they were quick to execute and silence the duo. Finn just shook his head seeing the way Punk, Dean and AJ looked at him, he knew AJ was aware of what he was concerned for, just as he knew the remaining two and Roman had no clue what they had inadvertently got themselves into. 

“What else does she know?” asked Finn in response, seeing the suspicious looks directed towards him from Roman in particular, he knew Roman didn’t trust him all that much, just as he knew the only reason why Roman had called him was because he had sent two of his own to protect her, making it one of the highest priorities. “Alright I’m going to tell you something but you have to promise me you wont tell her, she has to find out this out on her own, in her own time” added Finn revealing there was more Paige wasn’t aware of, he watched as Dean nodded as did Punk, noticing Roman looked as if he was arguing with himself whether or not to agree to the terms of being told. He knew whatever it was had to be important, especially if Finn was asking if she knew of it. The Samoan soon nodded although rather reluctant to do so. 

“Her mother was Saraya Jackie Knight, when she died Paige got everything, money, estates, cars, jewels, and the biggest illegal business in Europe possible the world. She doesn’t know about any of it, her dad never told her” spoke AJ explaining Paige was by rights one of the richest people in their business, her mother had set a saving account off for her when she was born, unknown to the twenty five year old she had everything she could ever want at her finger tips. “That’s why so many people have gone after her, they don’t care her dad isn’t coming back, well most of them don’t. They know she is the owner of that business, she is one of the most powerful there is. Even more powerful than the McMahon’s and Evolution combined. The ones hunting her either want to eliminate her or work for her, most of them have been sent by someone else to kill her” explained AJ, seeing the look on their faces, he knew that was probably the last thing they were expecting to hear, the girl they had hoped to gain the trust of was actually more than capable of protecting herself, although she wasn’t aware of it. 

“I took control of the business a couple of years ago, when I found Paige others who were hunting her had already beat me. I managed to help her then and have used what I have to protect her. Everyone in my trusted circle knows she is the true owner of the company. She knows I know more than I’m letting on, I used her father’s way of hiding things so only she would figure it out. When she is ready or when she wants it, I will give her what is rightful hers and stay to keep her safe” added Finn revealing the business he ran actually belonged to Paige, the one her mother had began all those years ago. He had used things that only she would recognise. “I failed to protect her then, but I refuse to again. The Wyatt’s or at least one of them know who she is, they wont harm her not when most of their power comes from her business” finished Finn revealing the at least one of the Wyatt’s knew who she was and would keep an eye on her much like he had done over the years. 

“You kept it going so she got what her mother left” whispered Dean realising Finn had only taken control until Paige was ready for it. Finn nodded at the statement Dean had made. “So Paige is the Princess of the Empire, now it makes sense. How much does she actually know?” added Dean, curious on how much the poor girl actually knew, he knew she was aware her mum was dead, although it appeared she didn’t know her mums identity or what she had inherited when she was just a toddler. He could understand why Finn had taken control, she was way to young to have that kind of responsibility. He also knew Paige was likely to be the key to ending the war between The Shield, Wyatt’s and Evolution although he doubted Evolution would back down that easily, for the time being they were the most powerful ones out there. If Paige did take her rightful place they would dethroned rather quickly. 

“She doesn’t, she was three years old when everything happened. Her dad has kept it hidden from her ever since. He actually made it his personal mission to get rid of all illegal business so she wouldn’t find out. He blames himself for what happened to Saraya back then, so to protect their daughter he took her away from it and hid the truth in hopes she would be safer and grow up like any normal child” responded Karl, he could remember when he was first put in charge of protecting her with Luke, the two always called her Princess. She had gotten used to it although she didn’t know they were calling her that because of everything she owned and by rights she was also their boss. 

“So how are we going to protect her?” asked Punk, he knew they had to do something. It was unlikely the raven haired girl his brother was keeping a close watch on was going to be able to protect herself considering she had no idea who she really was. He also knew if Evolution found out then they would use all at their disposal to get rid of her as quickly as they could, knowing she would be a huge threat to the power hey had gained over the years. Especially Stephanie, the one thing she couldn’t bare to lose was her power. “We know if Evolution find out who she is or even where she is then they wont stop until they get what they want” added Punk knowing all to well if they found her then she would be in even more danger than before. 

“Find a place and hide her would be the best option. One of the mansions she inherited. Someone stay with her until we know the threat has been eliminated, if she wants to go out then one or two go with her so she has the protection needed if something happens. I would say tell her what she inherited way back then but that’s not on the table at the moment” spoke Dean throwing his ideas out there although he had noticed Roman was unusually quiet, something that was pretty unsettling to him. He noticed Roman was looking to the top of the stairs, when shaggy haired man looked around he seen Seth at the top of the stairs, clearly having heard the conversation, although how much of it was unclear. Dean offered him a small smile, watching as he slowly made his way down the stairs, glancing at the two dead assassins from earlier in the morning. 

“Or option two, we separate ourselves from this. We don’t have the fire power to protect her. There’s nothing we can do without getting ourselves into more danger than we already are. If we do this we run the risk of Shane finding us. He has been after us for years, helping here will make the probability higher” responded Roman, putting his opinion out there. He knew at least Seth was going to argue with him on that one, the attachment he had to her was plain for anyone to see. Especially when he was the one to go after her when the two broke in, the Wyatt’s left her with him. The look he was receiving from Seth screamed he didn’t agree and nor was he going to, especially when someone was in that much danger. 

“I’m not leaving her, she is in more danger than we are and your suggestion is to walk away and act like we don’t know anything” replied Seth standing at the foot of the stairs looking directly at Roman the other side of the small circular table in the lobby of the mansion. “When did you become so cold, where you would leave someone who clearly needs our help to fend for themselves. You heard Finn, she doesn’t know about any of this. How could you be so cruel to suggest we just leave her on her own, knowing there’s a chance she wont live to see her next birthday?” questioned the dark haired Iowan, curious as to when his close friend had changed to the point he wouldn’t even bother trying to protect someone who was more in need of it. He knew he wasn’t going to get an answer when Roman looked away from him and to the polished wooden floor under his boots. “Where is the closest mansion she owns?” asked Seth this time directly to Finn, the smaller Irish man quickly wrote down an address on a piece of scrap paper along with a four digit code, handing the piece of paper to the one known as the Architect. 

The group watched as Seth took the paper with a nod of thanks, turning on his heels shortly after and returning the to staircase. Dean turned to look at Roman, beginning to question when his brother had changed so much. Like Seth had done just moment before hand. Seth had re-entered the bedroom Paige was staying in, seeing her still sleeping on the far side of the bed a small soft smile appearing on his features at seeing her so peaceful, especially after everything that had happened over the hours since they had met. With a prang of guilt Seth walked over to her side of the bed gently shaking her until she woke up. He knew she would be safer in one of her own mansions, knowing Finn there was a high probability he had been planning for her to go into hiding so had everything she would need in the mansion waiting and ready for her. 

“Sorry to wake you, going to take you to a safe house. It’s not that far from here. That way the events from this morning wont repeat itself. Its all ready for you” whispered Seth, listening as she took a sleepy long breath before beginning to move. “You can change when you get there, since we haven’t got anything for you here” added Seth watching as she nodded in reply, wiping the sleep from her eyes and yawning. Seth held out his hand to her, feeling as she gently placed her own smaller hand in his allowing him to lead her from the room and the mansion in general. He was at least thankful she trusted him enough to go with him even when they hardly knew each other. “I’ll stay with you, until it’s all over” finished Seth reaching the top of the stairs moments later, seeing Punk was no longer in the lobby neither was AJ. The two bodies had also disappeared. Dean also seemed to have gone, where as Finn was content on giving Roman the evils. 

“I’ll send someone to keep watch from a distance Paige. Just like always” spoke Finn when he noticed she and Seth were at the top of the stairs. He was thankful Seth and Dean were willing to help protect her but he was also rather distrustful of Roman, he had refused to help but also had valuable information on her, something that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. “Dean has gone to get Renee, they will meet you there, AJ and Punk are clearing up the mess” added Finn when Seth got the bottom of the stairs, the younger Iowan nodded signalling he had heard Finn’s words. The four remaining watched as Seth picked Paige up bridal style when they reached the double door entrance, making sure her bare feet didn’t touch the cold stone paved ground outside the front door, instead he opted to carry her to the car, hearing the small giggle to escape her lips. 

The two soon drove away from the mansion being used as the headquarters. As they did Seth began to wonder, what Paige would be like if she knew the truth on what she had inherited, if she took control of the business that was rightfully hers. He was kind of intrigued by it, she was one of the most powerful people in their line of business and didn’t even know it. Her mum had left her with everything she would need to live comfortably, from a business to run, places to call home and transport, she had everything but the knowledge of the truth. He could almost imagine what kind of person she would be to work for, a tough but fair leader, making sure she had all the facts and information needed to make an informed decision about something, making sure her employee’s knew where they stood and had everything they needed. He could also imagine the punishments she had would be brutal but fair, to make sure no one betrayed her. 

“Welcome home” spoke Seth after the ten minute drive in complete silence, the air conditioning and radio in the car being the only things to make a noise. The sun rising in the blue cloudless sky, another normal day in Florida. He could see the confusion in Paige’s eyes when he said welcome home, he knew eventually someone would explain that to her, probably when she finally discovered what had been hidden away and almost denied to her for over twenty years. “I’d love to see someone try and break into this place. There’s not a security system like it, all outside door are locked with hand print recognition and a four digit code, emergency services would be alerted within seconds of someone entering without the proper codes, and your own security team when you pick it will be alerted instantly if someone entered without authorisation” added Seth signalling for her to place her hand on the pad near the door, he had figured Finn had already added her to it, since he had clearly been planning on hiding her away sooner or later. He soon clicked the code into the number pad watching as the light shone green and a beep could be heard as the front door unlocked and opened allowing the pair access. 

“Wow” was all Paige could muster upon seeing the grand interior, the staircase was a work of art with the wood and metal decoration, the chandelier in the centre of the hall looks as if it was made of diamonds or some clear jewels. Even Seth seemed stunned to see what it looked like. Especially when he could hear trickling water coming from the back of the house. He knew Finn had kept each mansion updated and in working order ready for when she finally took her rightful place, it was clear he didn’t use this one but planned to keep her hidden there, it had everything she could possible need there. “This is amazing” whispered Paige as she walked around the ground floor in awe at what she was seeing, the Gothic decorations in each room from candle sticks to picture frames, all of it had been done to her taste. 

“Looks like Finn didn’t spare anything when it come to doing this place. You even have your own water park” spoke Seth upon rejoining her in the kitchen, he pointed towards the sliding glass doors to the right where the swimming pool was, there the two could see at least three water slides, each a different height and probably different speed. “Welcome home princess” added Seth knowing this was hers even when she didn’t realise it, he watched as she smiled slightly, a blush coming to her cheeks when she heard that name. Normally it didn’t bother her but there was something about how Seth had said it that made her blush. Maybe it was just being alone with him in a place neither of them knew. It wasn’t long before the house phone began to ring, Finn’s name popping up to which Paige pressed a button, noticing it appeared to be on loud speaker or on a speaker system of some sort. 

“Hey Paige, when I get there later on I have something to tell you. It’s something you should have known from the beginning. To be honest I should have told you when we first met but I couldn’t bring myself to do it, especially when I realised your dad hadn’t told you or even mentioned it” spoke Finn, Seth realising he was going to tell her she owned everything in the mansion as well as two others like it. “Okay, should I be worried?” asked Paige responding to the man who had been bent on protecting her for the last six years or so, she never really thought she was of high importance but she was beginning to realise that wasn’t the case. “No nothing to worry about, it will answer your question on why some of us call you princess and why so many are hunting you. It’s about time someone told you the truth. You deserve that much” replied Finn revealing it was something that had been hidden from her for a while, and was the reason why so many had been hunting her. “Okay, see you when you get here” spoke Paige before hearing him say goodbye and hang up the phone, Seth could see she was curious on what he had to tell her. 

“Want to explore this place? Might as well see what other hidden gems we can find. And maybe we can find your room so you can change from my Day to Remember t-shirt and the shorts” asked Seth watching as she looked down at her attire, the t-shirt reaching the top of her thighs like it was a short dress on her, the shorts however were a few size too big and looked more like an ill fitting skirt on her, although the colours matched since both were black. Paige nodded to the request quickly running off to the stairs and opting to silently challenge Seth to a race, something the older man clearly picked upon since her began to chase her mere seconds later, catching her with a warm smile half way up the stairs, that smile only getting bigger at hearing her chuckle. 

“So which way left or right?” asked Paige, looking up to the dark haired man who had caught her and accepted her childish challenge. The way he looked at gave her the sense of safety as well as a warm fuzzy feeling. She knew she would be safe with him, although something about that scared her. Seth looked both sides of the hallway, seeing both of them look similar, each room having a double door entrance to it, making the lucky person to stay in there feel all that more special and important. It wasn’t long before he pointed to the right noticing all the doors were white glossed wood with diamond like door handles, there was a wall light outside each door on either wall to light up the hallway a little more. The two crept down the small landing, opening each door and looking inside as they went, each picking up of the flowing curtains and light décor of each room. 

“I think I found your room” spoke Seth although it sounded as if he was shouting, the quietness made his voice boom down the landing like he was shouting at her from the other side of the mansion when in truth she was only a few meters away from him. When she reached where he was standing he opened the door wider so she could see inside. The queen size bed was the feature of the room, made of a black polished wood with a purple feature wall behind it, the silk throw on the bed making it feel like a five star hotel. “You got your own walk in wardrobe and on suite. Even got a balcony which over looks the landscape outside” added Seth, figuring the room they were in was the master bedroom, it had a rather generous size flat screen TV on the wall in front of the bed and breath taking views. Fit for the princess she was. 

“So which rooms yours?” asked Paige, knowing from his earlier statement he had no intention of leaving her alone. She was going to be stuck with him until he deemed it was safe for her to be on her own again. Seth smiled and signalled for her to change, to which she once again looked at her attire and smiled, nodding before going to raid her wardrobe, making a mental note to thank whomever had stocked it as they had done a good job with her style. When she reappeared she was wearing a black crop top with torn skinny jeans and a pair of flip flops. “How do I look” spoke the raven haired woman when she finally appeared from the bathroom, Seth eye’s grew a little wider upon seeing her. He had seen her glammed up in an evening gown and dressed down in some of his clothes now he got to see her in her ideal casual wear, he liked what he was seeing, especially how she wasn’t afraid to show off her body or show she was comfortable in her own skin. The two soon walked from the large room, although Seth already knew which room he wanted to stay in. something he made obvious when he walked with her a few feet and then stopped outside the white glossed door. A smile on his lips at seeing a small one appear on hers when she realised he would be close by in case she needed anything.


	5. Chapter 5 - Game with his Heart

As promised Finn arrived in the afternoon, Dean and Renee in tow as they had arrived at the mansion near enough at the same time he had. Renee had looked around the mansion with a small smile on her lips, although she hadn’t met Paige before she knew the girl was important to Finn, especially since he had hidden her away in a luxurious place. Making sure she had everything she could possible need, and everything to keep her comfortable. When the three entered the mansion they noticed how quiet it was, the water from the water features in the back garden trickling, as was the quiet sound of the television from one of the living rooms, other than that one could hear a pin drop on the marble flooring. 

“Paige!” called Finn, concern lacing his voice. He knew it was a big mansion and near enough impossible to get into without being let in by either of the residents but that still didn’t mean he didn’t worry for her safety. His concern soon faded when Dean pointed to the left, there stood the raven haired woman Finn had called for, now dressed in more suitable attire other than the borrowed clothes from the night before. A small but warm smile coming to his lips at seeing her comfortable with her surroundings. He could tell she was curious about what he said, although he was still unsure whether or not to tell her the truth on what she was the owner of. He didn’t know if she was ready to learn the truth. 

“Renee this is Paige Calaway. The one the Wyatt’s technically saved this morning and the one Seth protected” spoke Dean introducing the short haired blond woman to his left to the raven haired beauty who Finn had gone over to. Seth soon appeared from the living room area, seeing one he called brother stood with the woman who had captured his heart, as well as Finn standing with Paige. He watched as the two woman who were almost opposite to each other shook hands a small smile on the lips on blond, her eyes showing her happiness of meeting the other woman. Dean also looked between the two, knowing from looking at Seth the raven haired woman had made an impact on him.. 

A few minutes later seen Paige in the kitchen with Finn. The man who had protected her walking around the kitchen like he was looking for something although his eyes were on the tiled floor, it was almost like he was arguing with himself on whether he should tell her the truth or not. He knew if he didn’t then she would be a sitting duck for those who wanted to kill her, she could trust people so easily which could lead to her own demise. But if he told the truth on who her mother really was then maybe she would accept her inheritance and what her life was, maybe she would also realise the name Princess wasn’t just a nickname, it was a title her title. 

“Are you going to pace around like that all afternoon?” came the English ascent voice, breaking Finn from his line of thought and causing him to return his attention to her, rather than be the peace keeper in the battle between his heart and mind. When Finn did turn his attention to her, he could see the concern over what he was going to tell her mixing with the anxiety of her current situation and the hurt she was feeling for what her father never told her. He could see there were so many emotions she was feeling right now, although they weren’t painted on her features, it was showing in her brown eyes, all the feeling she didn’t want other people to see swimming in her eyes. To those untrained she would look unfazed by her current situation but he knew she wasn’t, he knew she was suffering as much as anyone was. 

“What do you remember about your mum?” asked Finn, wondering just how much the dark haired girl sat at the breakfast bar actually remembered about her biological mother. He knew Michelle had been like a mother to her, she cared deeply for the young woman even threatening to tear down the city until she found the people responsible for her step daughter attack years prior. When Finn once again looked over to her, he could see she was trying to recall anything she could about her mother, even if it was the littlest detail or something from the pictures she had seen around when she was growing up. “You don’t remember anything do you?” added the one known as the Demon King, watching as Paige slowly admitted defeat by shaking her head to his second question and confirming she had no memory of her mum. Not even been able to recall her appearance or name, not even the sound of her voice. Finn looked down at this, knowing when he told her who her mum was. She would go on to do research and discover the business and fortune she had been left. “Her name was Saraya Jackie Bevis. Like you she come from England, one of the toughest women in the business. No one would question her, not even your dad. When she died the world lost one of the more caring people and our world lost one of its toughest” added Finn giving the daughter of the proclaimed toughest woman, the name she had wanted to know for so long. He soon placed a small pendant on a chain in her hands before placing a soft but quick kiss on her cheek and leaving the room. Deciding to give her time to think things through. 

Seth was in the living room with Dean and Renee, watching how they acted and wondering what Finn and Paige were doing. He could vaguely remember Dean saying he would never being a romantic person or be the lovely dovey type. Yet over the years since Renee come into his life he had become both of those. Showing his affection for the blond Canadian in different way, whether that be doing spontaneous things or stealing a kiss from her every now and again. Ever since moving to Florida the three men who made up the Shield had been doing a lot of re-evaluating on their lives, what they wanted and how they were going to get it. Seth knew what he wanted, it was just doing what he had to, to get there. 

“So how are things with you and Zara?” asked Renee, remembering the other dark haired woman. She had come to Florida about a week ago, as she herself had done. She could also remember Zara confiding in her about her concerns with the man who was her lover. How she didn’t think things between them were the same. Renee watched as Seth turned his attention from the view outside to her, seeing the confusion cross his features showing he hadn’t heard the question she had asked. Dean’s amused chuckle confirmed that, as did the awaiting expression Renee had sent his way. “I asked how thing with you and Zara are going?” she repeated, seeing the expression that come over his features, one of uncertainty something she was sure she would never see from the one they had nicknamed the Architect. 

“I don’t know. I don’t think she understands what we do or the dangers of doing it” replied Seth revealing he didn’t really know what to do when it come to Zara. She appeared to understand when people were around but when it was just the two of them things were different. He didn’t know if he could be with someone who only appeared to want him for the lifestyle in which he offered. “I love her but I don’t think its returned, there is just something about how she says those words that doesn’t feel right” finished Seth seeing the way Dean looked over to him, almost like he had seen what he was talking about coming or he had been through it before. The small smile to grace his lips gave it away, Renee looked over to him knowing Seth was trusting her with the information he had shared with her and Dean, she knew if the relationship between Seth and Zara was going to last then something had to change and fast. 

“Got to do what’s best for you brother. For once listen to your heart maybe then you will find what you’ve been looking for” commented Dean, knowing the one he called brother had a tendency to listen to his head in pretty much all situations, sometimes it worked out for the better other times in had ended in disaster, like the time when the three of them ended up trapped in the basement of a place they were hiding out in, the triple story house had been scheduled to be demolished. It was just unlucky they were in the basement when it was torn down. Seth only nodded to the words he spoke, he knew what he wanted just as he was realising Zara wasn’t the one he wanted to have that future with. He wanted someone to love him for who he was rather than the wealth which he had. 

Back at the Shield headquarters, Punk was watching over all the security footage to see if he could recognise anything about the two who had broken in. Roman was in the mansion as well having to do the job of explaining Seth wasn’t there but at another unknown location. From what Punk could tell she wasn’t taking it very well, considering she had also been informed he was protecting someone at this secret location. Roman having refused to give Zara the name of the person, although she had worked out from his reaction this unnamed person was female. Punk had listen picking up on her concern, although it wasn’t for Seth’s well being or even about the girl he was protecting, but what he might be doing with this other girl. It was only when she left in an even fouler mood than she arrived in did Punk think about questioning Roman. 

“So how long have you been sleeping with my brother’s girl?” asked Punk, knowing from how they had acted around each other that the pair were hiding something. Roman on the other hand put on a confused expression but his eyes screamed he was worried about what Punk knew. “Come on Roman, it’s friggin obvious how you two acted around each other. You two were both fighting the urge to tear each other clothes off. So how long has it been going on for?” explained Punk and asking the same question again. Roman’s reaction to him confirmed it wasn’t a short term thing but a rather long term one which would mean Seth would be the one to be hurt again. It wasn’t long before Punk reached for his phone, scrolling through his contacts to find Seth’s mobile number. 

“What are you doing?” asked Roman, a horrified expression to come over his Samoan features when he seen Punk was about to phone Seth. “Alright, its been going on for about a year” quickly added Roman sighing in relief when Punk put his phone down, although he knew he would have to explain himself and most likely beg the other man not to tell Seth what was going on, after all he knew Seth wouldn’t forgive him, he would consider it a betrayal of their friendship and brotherhood. “I never met for it to happen, she came back without Seth. When I asked her what was wrong she said they had an argument, one thing led to another and we ended up sleeping together. I was going to tell Seth what happened but when it happened again I knew if I told him he would never trust me again, I can’t lose the trust of someone who has always been there” explained Roman, seeing the look he was receiving from Punk, the same look he knew he would get from Dean if he ever found out what was happening. 

“You never meant for it to happen yet you let it happen again. To make matters worse neither of you thought about how he would feel when he did find out. You would have been better off telling him then, at least that way there would have been a chance of him understanding. Now, I wouldn’t blame him for never trusting you again. I certainly wouldn’t” replied Punk, knowing full well when his baby brother did find out what was going on between his girlfriend and one of his best friends he was going to feel betrayed especially by Roman. He knew it would be uneasy between the two although he knew Seth rather well, he would grant forgiveness but he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice with someone. “I wont tell him as long as you do. He has a right to know, a game is being played with his heart” added Punk giving Roman an ultimatum, he Roman tells Seth the truth or he will, either way Seth was going to find out the truth. 

“I can’t tell him. I can’t tell him I’ve been sleeping with his girl for the last year or so. That I love her just as much as he does, and that I would fight for her” responded Roman, revealing he wouldn’t tell one of his best friends the truth when it come to the affair he had with Zara. Punk only shook his head and sighed before going back to the security footage, not bothering to listen to Roman any more or the excuses the man was likely to give him on why he had done it and why he was couldn’t tell the one person who deserved to know the truth. The one person who didn’t deserve to be hurt like this. Roman only sighed before walking away, texting Zara to inform her Punk knew of their affair and was likely to tell Seth about it. He knew it would have dire consequences for her, she relied on Seth for most things, even lived with him. She wouldn’t have anywhere to go if things ended between them. 

“I’m sorry Seth” whispered Roman before walking out of the mansion which served at the trio’s HQ, Punk merely watched him leave through the security cameras, already guessing what the man in question was going to do, although it wasn’t what he should be doing. It now made him wonder how many times Roman’s away jobs were actually spent with Zara, he could recall some of them being at the same time Zara had girls weekends or family emergencies. Roman was soon driving from the premises knowing Zara would have returned to the house she and Seth shared in the city, he knew he had to go over everything with her, talk to her about what they were going to do. He knew it would most likely end it tears, for both of them. If Seth found out Zara wouldn’t have him to call her own or a place to call home, where as Roman himself would lose the trust of not only Seth but Dean as well. The two people he loved and thought of as family. 

As he drove through the city, he could imagine the words Dean would say. He could imagine the love Seth held for Zara turning to hatred, just as he could imagine the trust and respect the younger man held for him fading rather quickly. The anger burning brightly in his tear ridden eyes at being betrayed by two people he loved so much. The brotherhood they shared would be destroyed. Everything they had built together running the risk of being ruined. Roman knew he should have felt guilt for what he had done and the hurt he would no doubt end up coursing, but he didn’t. He didn’t feel guilt for what he had been doing behind his brother’s back, he felt the opposite glad he had done it. He felt as if Seth deserved it in a way, if he hadn’t all but ignored Zara or fought with her that night the affair wouldn’t have happened. If only Seth had been more affectionate then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. 

“How much does he know?” asked Zara as soon as she opened the door to allow the larger Samoan in. She could guess from the text she had received on her way back to the house she shared with Seth, that it wasn’t good. She also knew if Seth’s older brother in Punk knew then it would only be a matter of time before the man in question was going to find out too. “Has he told Seth?” continued the dark haired tanned woman, the concern in her eyes making them shine a little brighter than before. She didn’t want to think what would happened if and when the man she was supposed to be in love with found out about her affair, forgiveness for her wouldn’t be an option but there was still a little hope for it being granted to the man stood in front of her. 

“No he hasn’t told Seth but he will if I don’t” responded Roman to her second question, trying to find the right words to the answer the first question she had asked. How was he going to tell her, that he had fallen for a trick and told Punk how long they had been together behind Seth’s back for. He knew Punk would question so much now, and likely figure out some of the missions he went on were in fact an excuse to spend time with Zara, doing things lovers would. Going on dates and romantic evenings. “He knows how long we have been going behind Seth’s back, besides that he only has suspicions” spoke the muscular Samoan to the original question Zara had asked him. He could see the fear begin to appear in her eyes. If someone who was Seth’s blood knew what they were doing then it would only be a matter of time before Seth himself knew, all hell would break loose. It was then Zara remembered Seth not returning home the night before. 

“Where was Seth last night? He didn’t come home nor text me to say he wasn’t” asked Zara walking in to the living room although she didn’t sit down, instead she paced back and forth in front of the open fire. Roman followed her with his eyes while he leant against the door frame, the house still in the refurbishment stage. He could remember Seth insisting that he do the work himself so he could be more prouder of it when it was finally finished. If Roman was honest he was surprised to hear Seth hadn’t told her he was staying at the HQ mansion. It made him wonder if Seth had noticed something and hadn’t said anything until he had more evidence to back up what he had noticed and most likely suspected. 

“He stayed with our protectee at the HQ mansion last night. From what I can gather he is going to stay with her until whoever is after has been eliminated” responded Roman, not telling her the girl in question had almost met her maker that morning if it wasn’t for the Wyatt’s some how getting into the mansion or Seth and Punk being there then she would have no doubt met her end. “Are you sure he never noticed anything before? The last time he didn’t inform someone of something it was because he was angry with them” asked Roman, remembering the last time Seth had gone quiet like this was when he found out something about the men they had been working with. He had lost trust in them and refused to trust either of them for obvious reasons. Although Roman would admit this was a little different. 

Back at the mansion Dean had effectively called the Princess mansion, Seth was looking at his phone wondering why Punk had tried to call him, there was no voicemail or text message, he was actually wondering if it was a butt call and Punk had sat on his phone resulting in it phoning him. When the Iowan native looked over to Dean and Renee he couldn’t help but smile a little, both of them sat on the sofa, Renee with her legs thrown over Dean’s lap, both of them holding a hand of the one who their heart belonged to. He knew those two were meant to find each other, they were equals rather than one being more dominate than the other, they were what Seth had precieved love was supposed to be like. It wasn’t long before he got up, leaving the room silently so not disturb the happy couple from the program they were so engrossed in. Upon re-entering the hall he seen Finn in the room across from the kitchen, watching the many monitors and tapping away at the keyboard in front of him. 

“You really made this place a fortress for her” spoke Seth watching as Irish man turned around to see who had snook upon him. A hand over his chest like he was trying to calm his now racing heart. Although a smile crept on his lips at the compliment he had gotten from someone he had seen as a friend for years. Finn knew Seth could be trusted, the man was the best he knew at making plans and having a back up for every letter of the alphabet. The smaller man only nodded to the words Seth had spoken in his own way he had made the mansion somewhat of a safe haven for her. It had everything she needed there plus a little more to keep her entertained, plus the high tech security system to make sure no one could get to her. “How is she doing?” asked Seth showing although they barely knew each other he did care for the raven haired princess that alone caused the smile on Finn’s lips to turn a little more softer. 

“She’s doing okay, finally got the answer to who her mother was or at least her name. She’s in the kitchen at the moment doing research, I figured it was best if she finds out everything else on her own then answer any questions she has after” replied Finn, he knew by giving her the name of her mother then she would find out everything else in her own time, that way she could choose when she was ready to know everything else. Seth only nodded to the words Finn had spoken knowing it was the best way for the woman in question. “Your brother is here” added Finn seeing Punk arriving through the main gates, as did Seth when the Irishman pointed to the screen which showed the said gates. Seth nodded before leaving to open the front door thrust allowing his older brother entry into the rather large mansion. He could see the concern in the eyes of Punk when he got closer. 

“I take it Roman isn’t here” said Punk upon reaching his younger brother and entering the house. The tone of his voice suggested there was something wrong although it was unclear exactly what it was that was bothering him. “He has something important to tell you when he does finally see you again” added Punk quickly glancing around the mansion, he knew the girl who was staying there would be comfortable there, after all it was any persons dream to live in a place like the one he was standing in now. When he return his attention back to Seth he could see the confusion come over his features, clearly none the wiser on what was happening or what his best friend and supposed girlfriend were doing behind his back. Punk felt for Seth he really did, he was so kind and caring yet Zara had taken advantage of that, deciding she wanted more than he could give her and having an affair with someone who claimed Seth was his best friend. He knew when his little brother did find out he wouldn’t want to see either of them, instead he would probably concentrate on his job and keeping the people he still had safe. “The men that attacked earlier, they were hired by Jarrett but they were Rusev’s men” finished Punk seeing the look that Seth gave him upon hearing who the two men worked for. 

“Did you just say Rusev?” asked Dean appearing from the living room, having heard what Punk said to Seth, he had to admit he was probably as curious as Seth was to find out what Roman had to say, even know he did find it a tad odd the Samoan hadn’t rang either of them or even contacted them to find out the location of the mansion so he could join them there. Punk nodded to the question seeing the same look that crossed Seth’s features appear on Dean’s suggesting the two had come across him or at least heard of him before. “I thought he was dead” added Dean revealing they had indeed come across the man in question although they believed he met his maker all those years ago. He could still remember the victims of the Bulgarian brute, how the poor people had been tortured to death, terror etched on their faces, their bodies just dumbed like trash. 

“He still blames us for what happened to him. When we were in the Black Ops. He helped Shane hunt down the team after we became liabilities. Let just hope he doesn’t realise who we are, might have more trouble than Jarrett’s bunch to deal with if he does” replied Seth, remembering how the man’s plan had backfired when Dean had tampered with something. The trap he had set ended up going off on him leaving him with some serious injuries, it was a miracle he had survived the all deal. Now it seemed like he was going to hunt down those he blamed, it was also at this point Seth hoped he would aim at Shane too, as that would help them and eliminate him as a problem they had. It wasn’t long before the trio heard a voice call for Finn, each of them looking to where the kitchen was, Punk was about to investigate when Seth stopped him from doing so, knowing this was something only the one called for could do. 

“What’s up?” asked Finn upon re-entering the kitchen clicking his fingers as he did to prevent the stiffness that was taking over. When he reached the counter she had her laptop set up on Paige turned the black device to him, uncertainty of what she had read in her eyes. Finn only sighed knowing she wanted confirmation on what she had read. “It’s true, Saraya did set up a business it was the biggest in Europe, could rival that of the one your dad and uncle owned and run. When she died she left everything to you her only child” added Finn finally telling her the truth on what her mother had owned and who now owned it. He could see the look in her eyes, the one that was beginning to question everything she had known before. 

“What exactly did she leave?” asked Paige, the one question the Irishman had been dreading since revealing the name of her mum. It had only been a few hours but she had found so much information out about Saraya. “Did dad know?” added the raven hair beauty, her hair now up in a messy ponytail to keep it from getting in her eyes. Finn could only nod to the second question, revealing the man known as the Undertaker did indeed know what his oldest daughter had inherited when Saraya had passed on that fateful day. It was Paige’s turn to sigh, she should have known her dad would have known about it, yet like the fate of her mum he kept it a secret from her. She was beginning to wonder what else he had kept from her, what else about herself she didn’t know. 

“She left you the business, three mansions around the country, at least two in England. All the money she had to her name, so a few billion, a bunch of cars and a people she trusted to look out for you” replied Finn to the first question the girl before him had asked. He could see from her reaction she wasn’t expecting anything like what she had inherited maybe a small fortune but that was it, instead her mother had planned for her future and left her everything she could ever need, from a business to run regardless if it was an illegal one to people she could rely on. Finn gave her a small folder, detailing everything she needed to know about the business she had inherited and the people who technically worked for her. He knew from that small conversation she was ready to take was hers, to be the leader she was always meant to be. “This mansion is one of them you inherited Princess, I kept it updated ready for the day you would come home” added Finn revealing the mansion was hers, he had just kept it from falling into ruin just like he had with the ones in England and the remaining two in the country she currently called home. 

“Thank you” replied Paige, now everything was setting in she was beginning to realise those around her were the people who had chosen to stay and help carry out the wishes her mum had left behind. “For everything, even when I didn’t know who I was, you did and now because of your help I know who I’m meant to be. Because of you and The Shield boys I’m still alive. If there is anything I could do please just say” she added seeing Finn nod to her before leaving the room once more, coming face to face with the three men stood in the hall, each of them appeared to be curious although Punk looked as if he was hiding something from someone in the mansion, or at least waiting for the best time to reveal whatever it was he was holding back. 

“She knows, after all this time she finally knows the truth. And she thanks you two for saving her life last night” spoke Finn, informing the three men she was now aware of the truth, and everything he had told them hours before, although she now had the folder with the names and information of every employee who worked for her. She would soon realise the demons and himself were amongst them. He would admit to her it was just by luck he come across her that day, if she ever asked. He hadn’t been looking for her, most had given upon that when her father and uncle left the business a few years after the death of Saraya. The three men nodded before looking to each other, where as Finn went back to the little security hub room. Dean soon return to Renee leaving Seth and Punk in each others company and to talk about whatever was bothering Punk since it was fairly obvious he knew something at least one or both remaining members of the Shield didn’t.


	6. Chapter 6 - Realisation

It had been a few days since Paige found out she was by rights the owner of a rather large illegal business, for the time being she decided to leave Finn in charge of it knowing he could be trusted and he was already respected in the business. She was also yet to leave the mansion although she had explored it more, finding out there was a home cinema as well as her own personal gym. She had pretty much everything she could imagine. Everything to make sure she was comfortable. Two of the Shield members came and went near enough every day where as the third was yet to make an appearance but Paige had figured there was a reason for that. After all she knew how protective Finn and three of his demons could be. There was also at least one person with her every night to make sure she had the protection she needed and someone there in case anything went wrong. 

At this moment in time Punk was in the apartment he had recently brought his wife AJ Lee by his side, she was the only one he told of the affair between Roman and Zara. The New Jersey native urging him to tell his younger brother before he ended up with a broken heart. Something they knew from experience could take him months to get over, even longer to talk about it with someone. AJ loved Seth like he was her own brother, being there when she needed help especially when she wanted to surprise Punk with something. There had been endless times where Seth had taken time out from his schedule to lend her a helping hand. She knew eventually Seth would find out the truth about Zara and Roman, when he did it was unlikely he would want to see either of them. 

“Do you want me to tell him?” asked AJ running her black painted nails through the short dark hair of her husband. He had his head resting on her lap, although his focus was on the random program airing on a channel they had both decided on while flicking through the many channels. “Maybe he will take it better coming from me or maybe Roman will grow a set and tell Seth himself” added AJ she had a mixed opinion on Roman although she didn’t know why there was just something about it that didn’t seem right to her. Seth was her family, she would do anything for him and to help when she could, Dean she got on well with due to both of them being considered mentally unstable and both doing things their own way regardless of what others thought. They lived in their own little bubble nothing was going to pop it or bring them back to reality unless they wanted to return to reality. 

“Roman telling Seth the truth, you’ve got to be kidding” responded Punk a small chuckle escaping his lips at the thought of the older Samoan owning up and admitting to what he had done. He was still waiting for Roman to tell Dean the truth on what happened to one of the Lunatics cars. There was security footage proving Roman had crashed it into a tree yet he had made the excuse it was stolen and maintained it even when Dean showed him the video footage proving otherwise. “Its probably best if I tell him, something like that needs to come from someone who knows him better than anyone else” added Punk giving his wife the answer to her original question. He sighed shortly after beginning to think how he could tell Seth what Roman and Zara had been doing behind his back. He knew there was no light way about doing it and either way he would be breaking his brother’s heart to prevent a greater pain. 

At the Princess Mansion, Seth had arrived his handprint now in the database so he could enter the mansion without the need of knocking the black glossed door or ringing the door bell. As normal when entered the hall he took of his jacket if he was wearing one hanging it with the others before calling for the raven haired beauty who called the almost dream like mansion home. If she didn’t answer then he would go to the top of the stairs and call again. Like he had to on this occasion, only when she did appear she gave him a slight fright due to appearing behind him and waiting for him to turn around. When he did she just smiled innocently and waved slightly. 

“Jesus! You almost gave me a heart attack” spoke Seth a hand over his chest as he tried to calm his rapid beating heart, although he was beginning to wonder if his fast pace heartbeat was from the fright or from something else. He had noticed his own body react differently when he was around the raven haired princess, he had just brushed it off before but now he was beginning to wonder if there was something more that he hadn’t figured out. Especially since he had caught himself thinking several things about her, something he knew was wrong considering he was dating another woman. Yet each time he told himself it was wrong to think about kissing Paige or even feeling her body pressed up against his, he couldn’t shake the feeling of attraction that came with it. He had never been like this with anyone else before, not even Zara. 

“That was the point. As Finn always says expect the unexpected” responded Paige her innocent smile unmoved from her painted lips. A smile of Seth’s own appeared on his lips although Paige could tell his was more mischievous than her own one, although she couldn’t help but feel the curiosity rising. “Why are you looking at me like that?” asked the younger Brit, starting to feel at little subconscious made evident when she wrap an arm around herself and rubbed it with her free hand, as well as breaking eye contact with with Iowan native. She suddenly found something rather amusing about the patterned marble floor, maybe it was the silver lines or the red and blue glitter than sparked her interest. 

“No reason. It just for the first time in a long time I feel as if I can be myself. Around most of the opposite gender I feel as if I have to hide something about myself but with you I don’t, I feel free” responded Seth seeing her relax a little bit as well as a smile come to her lips, one he had precieved as the most beautiful he had seen. If he had to describe her smile in one word then he would choose perfect. “So what do you want to do tonight? Since your stuck with me until tomorrow evening” asked Seth reminding her, he was her protector until someone relieved him of the position the following day, normally being Karl or AJ although there had been occasions where Finn had personally come to keep her company, he knew as Dean did the only reason Finn had yet to allow Roman to the mansion was because of the distrust there, he knew the Irish native always trusted his gut when it come to protecting the people he cared for. Something he was doing when it come to Paige. 

“I found the home cinema yesterday, wanna watch something?” asked Paige revealing she had found the cinema Luke had mentioned was there. Although she was yet to find the hidden rooms he had spoken off, Paige was still unsure whether he had meant that as a joke or not, but she still looked for them none the less more out of curiosity than anything else. A small smile coming back to her lips when the dark haired man before her nodded, to which she held out her hand and lead him down the hall to the opposite of where her bedroom was located, getting half way down the hall before opening a book case to reveal a hidden door, upon entering it he could see the room had been decked out to remind one of a cinema complete with a couple of rows of seats, the luxury ones at the back. “So what film do you want to watch? Old or new all available even TV series” asked Paige pointing to the control panel on the wall to the side of the door, allowing Seth to choose what they watched. 

“Certainly got a collection here. Finn really did think of everything when it come to keeping you entertained” responded Seth, he knew most people he knew could only dream of having their own home cinema as well having access to a wide range of movies and TV series. He watched as Paige nodded and how she got herself comfy on one of the reclining chairs, wiggling around to get herself in a position she was comfortable with. It wasn’t long before he settled for Spiderman Homecoming, like Punk and AJ he was a sucker for marvel films just as he was for horrors and action films. He just enjoyed the thrill each gave him and being able to amerce himself in another world. In his own way the films allowed him to escape from his own reality. From having to look over his shoulder in case someone from his past was there I.e. Shane, or even Evolution. He doubted he would have to worry about the Wyatt’s as much any more although they were still technically a threat. 

“Comic book fan, interesting” spoke Paige upon noticing the film he had chosen. It wasn’t long before Seth got himself comfy in the seat next to her, once again feeling his heartbeat get faster. He was sure Paige would be able to hear the major organ thumbing against his ribcage it was certainly loud enough to him. He knew now he had a strong attraction to her, over the last few days he had learnt she loved rock, metal and punk music listening to them at loud levels and singing along to the words. He had also learnt she wasn’t one for wearing heals preferring converse and Doc Martians. She wasn’t in to romance films and couldn’t stand musicals or westerns preferring the more gritty things to watch. He knew he had an attraction to her but wonder if she was attracted to him, when it come to that she was unreadable to him. 

“Well Princess you’re not the only one who is full of surprises” replied Seth, an amused smile coming to his lips as the film started, the sound system and screen making it feel as if they were in an empty cinema in a last showing of a film. It wasn’t long before he heard Paige chuckle to his statement. It was now he wished time could go slower, or someone wouldn’t relieve him of being her protector. He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible get to know her more since they had a fair few things in common something he liked. Maybe this was how Dean felt when he was around Renee, like she was the reason he was there or he was meant to find her. The Iowan native knew he would have to talk to Dean about that and maybe ask his brother the same question. 

The two sat in silence as the watched the film, laughing every now again when they found something humorous, Seth looking to Paige here and there, with Paige doing the same thing on the odd occasion mainly because she could feel him looking at her rather than watching the film. When the film finally did end both smiled at each other as they left the room, noticing it had gotten dark out although neither knew what time it was, although there was a silence between the pair of them it was a comfortable one. One where neither really needed to say anything. Paige soon made her way downstairs opting to get something to eat since he stomach was on the verge of making loud rumbling noises she was almost sure Seth’s was to. Since he was making sure nothing was going to happen to her the least she could do was make sure he was fed and watered. 

With Roman he was currently at his own house, hold up in one of the bedrooms. Instead of thinking about ways to explain to Seth he was sleeping with his girlfriend, he was continuing his affair with the woman in question. Although he knew something about this time wasn’t quite right he hadn’t worked out what it was and hoped Zara would tell him, she had been acting odd for the last couple of days or at least what he had noticed she was, it could have been longer for all he knew. The Samoan had thought about asking his lover what was wrong with her but knew there was a high possibility she would say nothing and not want to talk about it any longer than she had to. 

At this moment in time the pair were wrapped up in the bed sheets, Zara sleeping peacefully in his arms while Roman had his arms wound around her waist just admiring her beauty and wondered how one he called a brother for so long could neglect such a jewel like Zara. He knew Seth was work orientated but that wasn’t much excuse as to why he did the things Zara had told him about. Just as he was pressing light kisses to her shoulder, neck and jaw line the door to his bedroom opened the person on the other end of it taking in a sharp breath before slamming the wooden door closed again. Roman and Zara both looking around in both shock and horror that they had been caught in the act, Roman knew he couldn’t work his way out of that one considering it was Dean who caught them, at which point he quickly put his clothes on and chased after the slightly younger Ohio native. 

“Dean” called Roman chasing the dark blond down the stairs in order to catch up with him. To his surprise the other man stopped in the hallway, although he didn’t turn around. When Roman got to him he placed a hand on his shoulder spinning the younger man around, regretting it almost instantly, seeing the anger and distrust shinning in his eyes. The Samoan once again feeling guilt flow through him, he knew what he was doing and been caught doing was wrong but seeing the disappointment in the eyes of Dean made it even worse. “Just let me explain” added Roman when he finally found the confidence to talk and what he though were the right words to say. 

“Explain what, how I caught you sleeping with Zara or how you never meant for it to happened” spoke Dean trying to keep his voice down and his anger under control. He didn’t know who he was more angry at, Zara for having the affair in the first place or Roman for being the one she had the affair with. If Dean was honest he didn’t know whether he wanted to hear the excuses Roman would come up with, it didn’t change the fact he was hurting someone he claimed to love like family. “That’s what I thought, I thought you had more respect than that but I guess I was wrong. This is low even for you” added Dean failing completely to hold back his anger especially with the image of Roman and Zara in bed together, neither wearing nothing but their birthday suits was burnt in his mind. He had lost all respect he had for the Samoan in front of him just as he had lost the trust. 

“I love her” responded Roman seeing the anger in Dean’s eyes alongside the unstable look. He could see the other man’s hands shaking as he balled and unballed them at his sides. To Roman’s surprise Dean’s eyes weren’t locked on him but on Zara at the top of the stairs, wearing nothing more than the bed sheet wrapped around her body like a dress. Roman smiled upon seeing her almost forgetting Dean was even in the house and had caught them in the act. He soon turned his attention back to the one they had called the Lunatic. He could see the anger hadn’t faded just as he could see the distrust and disappointment shinning brightly but there was also something out pained on his features, where the cheeky smile would have normally been was the look of disgust at what he had witnessed and the words that had left the Samoans lips. 

“Excuse me for not being overjoyed about it, but at this point I more concerned for Seth, you know since his brother has been stabbing him in the back for god knows how long and his girlfriend has been stamping on his heart like it means nothing” sarcastically replied Dean although he knew this wasn’t the time for sarcasm his words had gotten it across just how much he cared for the one who was going to be hurt the most. Without warning Dean punched the taller Samoan watching as he fell to the wooden floor before walking out the door without so much as a goodbye. He knew where he was going to go and what he was going to do. He also knew the younger man was likely to be in the right place as it was unlikely he would want to return home, so being with someone who he could focus his attention on was the best place for him at the moment. 

“I didn’t think anyone was due to take Seth off duty until tomorrow evening” spoke Paige upon Dean entering Princess Mansion, like Seth his hand print had been upload into the system so he could access the house with little to no trouble and without waking someone else up if it was during the night. “What’s wrong?” asked the same raven haired woman upon seeing the glum look Dean had painted on his features, although she could tell in what nothing to do with the job she knew it was important for him to tell whomever he was there to see. Without a word he followed her into the living room where Seth was relaxed on the sofa, a small smile being brought to Dean’s features at seeing how at home Paige could get anyone to feel. 

“Seth” spoke Dean watching as the younger man turned to his attention to him. Take a deep breath he walked over to where Seth was sat, taking the seat next to him, knowing what he was about to say would break the younger man’s heart and destroy his whole world. Although he didn’t show it Seth wore his heart on his sleeve, he would give his all to something regardless of whether it was business or personal. “There’s no easy way of saying this so I’m just going to tell you straight but you have a right to know. Roman has been sleeping with Zara, I caught them in bed together when I went to talk to him about something” added Dean watching as the different emotions crossed over Seth’s features before he put his head in his hands, he could see the tears come to the Iowan’s eyes at learning this piece of information. “I’m sorry buddy” added Dean noticing Paige had reappeared with the drink she knew he liked, he smiled at her in thanks, seeing the concern she had for Seth especially since she had noticed his whole body language changed in the few minutes she had been gone. It wasn’t long before the Iowan walked from the room, wiping his eyes as he went and tried to offer the raven haired beauty a reassuring smile although he looked as if someone had told him his childhood pet had died. “It is okay if he stays with you for a while? I know he trusts you maybe more than he does me or Punk” asked Dean watching as she nodded to his question. 

“Sure, I like having him, you, Renee, AJ and Punk around any ways. Would be nice to have someone around here a little longer than twelve hours” responded Paige, seeing the small smile to appear on Dean’s features at hearing her words, although the concern was still there. Paige looked to the area where Seth had walked off to, debating whether she should ask or not, although she had a feeling someone would tell her what was going on sooner or later. She soon distracted herself by putting the blanket over the back of the sofa back to how it was along with the cushion that decorate the seating area. Dean on the other hand watched her as she moved around the room and sipped on his drink, remembering the attraction he had noticed between the two when he was last there. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it before but he could now. 

“I don’t want to hear excuses from either of you” spoke Seth to Roman and most likely Zara on the phone, his voice on the verge of breaking as his heart had no doubt already done. “Really Roman you expect me to believe that, after you stabbed me in the back and betrayed any trust I had in you. I don’t care any more, you can screw Zara as much as you like. I’m done with the both of you” continued Seth officially finishing things between him and Zara, he didn’t want to see her again, he gave her everything and in return she slept with one he had once considered a brother and torn his heart apart like it meant nothing to her. “Your actions spoke for you Roman, like I said you can do whatever you want. Just as long as you stay as away from me” finished Seth before hanging up the phone without saying goodbye to the pair, he thought Zara was his match. She could stop him from doing something and was always there for him. Now he just felt like an idiot for not seeing through the lies she wove around him to blind him from seeing what she was really like and seeing she was fooling around with his now ex-best friend. 

Upon returning to the living room he could see Dean just standing there drink in hand, watching something. When Seth looked to where Dean was, he seen Paige moving around the room putting things back in place whether it moving the pictures or ornaments around or putting the cushion up right and dusting something off. She did it so effortlessly and without a care in the world. There was just something about watching her that made his broken heart seem less painful. Dean soon turned to him, spotting the way Seth looked at the raven haired princess and the small smile that curved the corner of his lips. To which he took hold of the younger man’s arm and pulled him from the room and into the dinning room across from where they had left Paige. 

“You like her don’t you?” asked Dean seeing the way Seth looked at him. “Come on the way you were looking at her then paired with the smile that appears every time someone mentions her name. Its obvious you have some serious sexual tension for her” added Dean seeing Seth’s cheeks turn bright red as he finished his statement, Dean knew just from that reaction it was true. Before the slightly older man could continue his phone began to ring, pulling it from his pocket and looking at the caller ID, he could only sigh at seeing Roman’s name and picture pop up. “Can I help you?” asked Dean making sure to put the phone on loud speaker so Seth could hear everything too. “Sorry I can’t do that, you haven’t got clearance from Finn to know the location of Princess Mansion, plus Seth is going to be here and something tells me he doesn’t want to see you” responded Dean refusing to give the location of the mansion to Roman and thrust granting the wishes of both Seth and Finn in doing so. “You do that, I’m sure he would be happy to talk you through his reasons for not informing you earlier” finished Dean hearing a goodbye before the connection cut off. 

Elsewhere in the city, the men known as the brothers of destruction were currently at the police station they were employed at. Having spotted the unusual amount of robberies happening in the city amongst other crime. The most concern for the Undertaker being a string of murders of black haired woman who’s name began with P, it worried him as his oldest daughter fit the description of victims with her name beginning with P and having the raven hair, he almost dreaded when they were told the killer had struck again mainly because he feared Paige would be the one on the autopsy table. Even now he still had no idea where she was or even who she was with, he just hoped she would be out the way of the person or people killing women with the same features as her. 

“Still not heard from her?” asked Kane, remembering his older brother mention he hadn’t heard from Paige since the morning after the formal evening almost a week prior, it was unusual for the young woman not to contact someone just to say she was okay on a daily basis although Kane could gather she was still pretty angry about finding out what really happened to her mother through someone else. “She’ll be okay, Paige is a smart girl she will keep away from trouble she always has plus you know what she’s like when she angry at someone. When she has calmed down she will call you know she will” added Kane knowing his oldest niece was smart when it come to danger, he had no doubt she would have seen the news and knew about the killings, thrust she would stay out the way and make sure she wasn’t targetted by the person or people doing this. 

“I know, I just feel guilty for not telling her the truth when I had the chance. If I had then maybe she would be home right now, spending time with her sister. I can’t help but worry about her. You know yourself what its like when you do something stupid and your daughter doesn’t forgive you for it” replied Mark, admitting he felt guilt for not telling her what happened to Saraya all those years ago. “I’m scared, that she will find out what Saraya left her. That the world I’ve tried so hard to protect her from will pull her in” added Mark fearing what would become of his daughter if she was pulled back into the same world that ripped her mother away from him. He knew she would be in danger, after all she was his daughter but she was also the owner of a rather large illegal company. 

“With luck we have already stopped that company, if not then all we can do is hope she doesn’t find out about it” responded Kane knowing the real reason why both of them had set their sights of bringing down the illegal business was to hopefully rid the country of them and destroy the one Saraya had set up for Paige before she found out about it. In their own way they were trying to protect her from the people in the business and from suffering the same fate her own mother had suffered. Being the owner of such a company sounded like a dream come true but with the mistrust and people trying to kill you the negatives out weighed the positives especially when you consider a single mistake could cost one their life and that of their loved ones. Kane knew if Paige did find out about her inheritance then she would also find out who Saraya really was. It was now he was thankful he had settled down with someone outside of the business having two beautiful daughters of his own with her. 

“You’re the lucky one you know” spoke Mark saying what he was thinking about his little brother being the lucky one of the pair. “You found Crystal and married her, she understood what you did back then and was thrilled when you walked away from it, with her you have two daughter of your own in Emma and Summer. Neither would do anything to break the law or have any ties to the illegal business other than those who want to bring you back. Where as I have two very different girls from two woman. I feel as if I’m losing one of my girls and the other is growing up to quickly” finished Mark revealing he felt as if he was losing Paige where as he thought Kaia was growing up to quickly, it seemed like just yesterday she was enjoying her first Christmas and now she was five going on six she was now going to school and learning the things she would one day been needing in her own life. 

“She’ll come home once she has understood everything. It’s been eventful to say the least for her. I know this is hard but you have to give her the space and time she needs to discover who she really is, only then can she decide what she wants to do with her life” replied Kane knowing in order for Mark to get what he wanted more than anything else for his oldest daughter, then he had to let her go and find who she was, even if that meant finding out the secrets both men had hid from her. He had faith once she had found everything out then she would come home to the people who loved her, even if she was question that love with the pair of them at the moment.


	7. Chapter 7 - Ownership

It had been a few days since the affair of Zara and Roman had come to Seth’s attention, the Iowan had yet to return to his own home instead he either stayed at Princess Mansion with the permission of Paige or he crashed at Dean and Renee’s. He knew Zara would be at the house he was modifying, he had made it clear he didn’t want to see or talk to her just as he didn’t even want to hear Roman’s name. He was still struggling to come to terms with why she had cheated on him and why Roman was the one she cheated with. At this moment in time he was at Dean and Renee moping around like he had done since finding out about the affair or at least when he wasn’t on duty, Renee had been trying to think of things that would cheer him up, like Dean she had noticed the younger man’s reaction when someone mentioned the raven haired princess. 

“Come on buddy, lets go and get your things, you can stay here with me and Renee for as long as you need” spoke Dean walking into the living room, he watched Seth nod in thanks before getting up, hugging the blond woman as she entered the room. “Plus you’ve been wearing the same clothes for days, I’m pretty sure Paige is close to dragging you down town to get some new things” added the one they had named the Lunatic, he seen a hint of a smile appearing on Seth’s lips at the mention of the girl both of them protected, if anything Dean knew Paige could probably bring him out of it, she had caught his attention after all, although the owner of a rather big illegal business she was kind and sweet to those around her as well as caring to those she loved. She was probably the perfect employer. 

“I’m going to leave our business” whispered Seth when he entered the black SUV, he was slightly surprised when Dean didn’t react in the way expected and instead smiled slightly like he understood why he wanted to leave it. “You were expecting me to say that weren’t you?” asked Seth watching as Dean nodded as he started up the car reversing out of the drive way and heading in the direction of Seth’s residents likely to be former residents. The drive there was quiet, while at a traffic light he got something from the glove compartment giving it to Seth to read over, as well as a pen to sign something at the bottom. “Legal Ownership?” questioned Seth not quite understanding it although he hoped Dean would explain it to him rather than let him pounder and drive himself mad trying to figure it out. 

“Yeah, I know after the affair was revealed you wouldn’t be able to trust Roman again, just as I knew you would say you were going to leave. So I spoke to Renee about it and together we decided I would leave as well, I realised through this I had lost trust in him too. I can’t work with someone I can’t trust wondering if he would do the same thing to me. I trust you and Renee with my life but I can’t say the same thing for Roman any more. So if you leave then we both do” replied the Ohio native revealing he no longer trusted the Samoan they had been close friends with for so long, he had betrayed Seth in away that couldn’t be forgiven and now neither wanted to work with the company. “If you sign that then you are signing your half of the company over to Roman, he will become the soul own of Shield” finished Dean revealing what signing the papers would do, he listened as Seth read through it before signing his name at the bottom next to Dean’s. 

“Thanks for sticking with me” replied Seth looking over to the blond man in the drivers seat, he knew he could count on Dean. “You know I thought we were crazy moving to Florida when the Brothers of Destruction were here, but in doing so we have learnt so much. Finn was actually protecting the true owner of the company he ran, what Zara and Roma were truly like and who we are as people, maybe one day I will find what you have with Renee” added Seth a smile on his lips at finding out who Paige really was and why she was a high priority for Finn, as well as who he was now he was once again on his own, just as he learnt who his true friend was out of his partners in crime. “Roman’s here” breathed Seth sighing at the thought of having to come face to face with both of the people he didn’t want to see let alone talk to. 

“You’ve got me to support you. You just get your things I will give this to Roman, let him know in making the decision to hurt you he lost both of us” responded Dean patting the other man on the shoulder before both of them got out of the car and walked towards the front door, Seth using the key to enter the house seeing things were the same apart from some of the pictures hanging on the wall being different. Upon closing the front door both men were met with Zara and Roman coming from the living room. Dean’s contentment turned to almost blazing rage at seeing the pair of them again although he was near enough ignore Zara was even there. Seth just tapped his chest before walking up the stairs and into the master bedroom, he could only sigh when he heard Zara following behind him. 

“I’m sorry Seth” spoke Zara when she entered the room, watching as he moved around the room. Taking his clothes from the draws and wardrobe placing them in the cases he had pulled from the closet. He didn’t bother replying to her as he knew it would be useless. “Are you at least going to acknowledge I’m here or are you just going to continue like you don’t even know me?” asked the dark haired woman receiving his reply when he looked over and shook his head before walking into the bathroom to get his things from in there. He didn’t want to be there any longer than he had to be, he just wanted to get his things, get out of there and never return to it. He didn’t care what Zara did with it, she could burn it down for all he cared. “What are you doing?” asked Zara asking a question she already knew the answer to all she just wanted to hear it from him. 

“You’re not sorry if you were you wouldn’t have done it in the first place” responded Seth not bothering to look up at the woman he thought was his match, he could see now just how wrong he was, she had stomped on his heart like it meant nothing to her. “As for what I’m doing, I getting my things and leaving, the place is yours I don’t want to be in a place that reminds me of all the times you lied to my face, of all the times you stabbed me in the back. I don’t want to be in the place that reminds me of you. I don’t care what you do with it, you can burn it down for all I care because I never want to see you again and I definitely don’t want to see Roman. Anywhere is better than here” spoke Seth finishing his packing and walking out the room with the cases, he didn’t both listening to Zara when she called for him to stop and listen to her, he just carried on down the stairs and out the front door, putting the cases in the trunk of the SUV before returning knowing Dean had been waiting for him and staring daggers at Roman this whole time. “Alright I’m done” spoke Seth when he reached Dean’s side to which Dean gave the papers to Roman. Both men leaving shortly after leaving Roman to look at the papers. 

“What’s that?” asked Zara tears in her eyes at the words Seth had spoke to her, she noticed he left his keys to the house on the table besides the front door, confirming he wasn’t coming back and he had meant it when he told he didn’t want to be there any more. She didn’t know how to feel about that as it meant she was now the owner of a five bedroom house, she would have to pay the mortgage and other bills. Plus it was half finished with the decoration. How was she supposed to finish it, she didn’t have any money or a job, she had pretty much relied and Seth for that kind of thing now he had left it to her without any way of paying for it or even caring what she did with the place. Roman soon looked up to her, quickly reading over it with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach he was sure they had agreed the two of them together would run the business, he could handle it if it was the case so was horrified to learn it was the opposite of what he had been expecting.

“Ownership papers of our company. Both of them have transferred their third of the company to me. They left the company” responded Roman revealing he was now the soul owner of the company, he personally didn’t know how he felt about that, he was used to getting things his own way but that took it to the extreme considering he was also used to Dean arguing back with him and Seth coming up with the plans to get them out of trouble. He was now completely alone, no Dean to give advice on the odd occasion and no Seth to get them out of trouble. “I lost their trust, because of the affair. Instead of them risking it they left the business to me, they walked away from it” added Roman revealing to Zara he was now the soul owner of the company and why the duo had left in the first place, it was now he had an overwhelming feeling of guilt for what he had done, not only had he been discovered but he had lost the two he considered his best friends and brothers, via that they had ceased being his business partners, they had left him to deal with this on his own. He was also starting to feel regret for the affair, if he hadn’t done it then they wouldn’t have walked away, yet he couldn’t deny his love for the woman, no matter what the sacrifice he still loved her. She was his shining light. 

“So Seth left the house to me with no way of paying for it and they both left the company to you and no longer your business partners” spoke Zara a questioning tone in her voice, she didn’t understand it. Like Roman she had expected them to end their partnership with Roman where he wasn’t part of the company any more yet they had done the opposite. “Why would they leave when they have nothing else?” asked Zara knowing from what Seth had told her in the past Shield was the only company they owned, they didn’t have any side projects so they didn’t have any way of earning the money or keeping the lifestyle they had come accustomed to over the years. All the luxury things they had would have to be given up. “Is there something we don’t know about?” asked Zara hearing the knock on the door shortly after, when she answered it she seen a short man stood there, his ice blue eyes sending a shiver down her spine although she had noticed he was wearing a suit and his hair was neatly done. 

“Come in Finn” called Roman, holding the papers he had been given by Dean to his side. Almost like he was trying to hide the truth of what had happened from the smaller Irishman. He had called Finn the day the affair came to light in hopes of gaining access to Princess Mansion merely so he could confront Seth about the break up he and Zara had gone through as well as some of the things she had told him, after all to he was sure the younger man needed a wake up call and a few lessons on how to be a good partner. “I wanted to ask you about the clearance I would need to enter Princess Mansion” spoke Roman when the pair of them and Zara was in the living to the house, although Finn had no idea what happened he knew it had effected Seth a fair bit due to Paige informing him he would be staying in the mansion for a while. 

“Depends what you wanted the clearance for, to help with protecting Paige or for some other reason” replied Finn knowing he could only give clearance on those who were going there to protect the princess herself. Anyone else had to gain it from Paige who decided who was to come and go from the mansion. “If it’s protecting Paige then I will put you through a bunch of tests and get you to find references so I know your trusted to be around her, if it’s for something else then your gonna need to ask Paige herself, since it’s her mansion she decides who comes and goes from it” continued Finn guessing by the way the hope faded from his eyes that it was something else thrust he would have to speak to the owner of the mansion. “I’ll call her” finished Finn pulling out his phone and calling the mansion number, hearing Karl on the other end, “Hey Karl can you put Paige on please” asked Finn figuring it would be best to phone the woman in question rather make a decision for her. 

“Hi Paige it’s Roman” spoke Roman when Finn gave him the phone, he was hoping above all else she would grant him access to the mansion, he knew once he had the handprint recognition then he would be able to do as he pleased to get Seth to listen to him again and regain the trust he had lost due to the latest scandal. “I was wondering if you would grant me access to the mansion or at least have my handprint added to the database. I know Seth is there and it’s the only way I can set things right and talk to him” added Roman putting his intentions out there, he soon passed the phone back to Finn hoping above all else she would agree to it, he knew if he was protecting her as well then he could talk to his brothers and get things sorted out, a few seconds later Finn hung up on the phone, his expression not giving anything away in terms of what was happening. 

“She will allow you access to the house but I wont permit you to have twenty four hour access. The handprint recognition is for her and those who protect her. That way I know who has come and gone from the mansion. She will be there when you visit and someone will let you in” spoke Finn before getting up and leaving the house, figuring the younger Samoan had something to sort outside of his brothers not wanting to be around him. After all he had helped Dean get the papers needed to give Roman full control of the company. He knew whatever it was that had broken the trust between them wasn’t going to be fixed as easily as the Samoan though it would be. 

Back at Princess Mansion Seth and Dean had just arrived there after picking up Renee on the way. She had visited the mansion many times and had become close friends with the younger raven haired woman. Once again Dean was driving thankful for Paige for being there and allowing his broken hearted brother to stay there with her for a while, although she was unaware of it, her assistance and offer would help him more than anything else, something Punk was also aware of. After all he had seen the way his little brother had acted around the girl and how he smiled a little more when he realised he was her protect for an evening or when someone mentioned her name. There was just something about the raven haired one that could brighten Seth’s mood up. 

“Why are we here?” asked Seth noticing they had passed through the main gates to the mansion Paige currently called home, on the doorstep he noticed the young Brit was sat on the steps. She seemed to be enjoying the weather or was waiting for something. Either way he found it unusual as she was normally in the back garden if she was enjoying the weather. When Seth looked over to Dean he only seen the cheeky smile as well as hear Renee chuckle in the back seat, he knew from then on they had planned something, with whatever that was involving the raven haired woman. “Dean what have you done?” asked Seth both his nerves and his curiosity getting up, the nerves as they drew closer to the waiting English woman and the curiosity to see what his friend had gotten up to. He knew if this was Dean’s attempt to distract him then it was working. 

“I spoke to Finn the other day, as well as Paige. She told me she like having us, Punk and AJ around, so with that in mind I went to Finn and spoke about the idea of just one protector for Paige. He liked the idea and so did she, so we come up with the idea of you being that protector since you have more in common with her than the rest of us. In return she is allowing you to live in the mansion with her” replied Dean revealing what his secret talks with Finn were about, they were discussing what was best for Paige in terms of protectors. “She enjoys having you around as much as you like being around her. So from now on she is your mansion mate” added Dean revealing Paige had been kind enough to allow him to live there with her. 

“That’s why she is waiting outside” replied Seth watching as Dean carefully parked in the drive way, the older man nodding his head to the question as he exited the car. Both men watched as Renee and Paige hugged each other before entering the mansion. While Seth and Dean got the Iowan’s things from the trunk taking them inside the mansion. Seth leading the way to the bedroom he had been using while he was there since he was normally the one to stay with her during the night. “Remind me to speak to Paige about joining her company, maybe she will feel more confident in taking over it with people she could trust around” added Seth, thinking since they had gave full ownership of Shield to Roman then they could work for Paige’s company since they were aware she trusted them. It wasn’t long before the duo entered Seth’s room, Dean picking up on it being next to Paige’s a small smile crept on to his lips. 

“Seth, just tell her how you feel. Holding on to the past isn’t going to help anyone” spoke Dean knowing if Seth had any chance to move on from what happened then he needed to let go of the past and look to the future that meant he had to let go of the hope Zara hadn’t really done anything, he had Paige in front of him now, anyone could tell there was attraction between the two of them, well apart from Paige herself who had admitted she wouldn’t know romance if it hit her in the face. “She’s here in front of you, she hasn’t done anything to hurt you only tried to help. Follow your heart buddy and go after her” added Dean encouraging Seth to go after Paige rather than fall back in to Zara’s trap when she made some excuse up, he had been expecting the excuses to start at some point, after all it was no secret she relied on Seth for everything instead of working for the lifestyle she desired so much. Seth only nodded and smiled a little bit, knowing what Dean had said was true he did like Paige and wanted more than to be friends with her, she was different from others he had come across. When the duo got downstairs they were met with Roman standing in the hall looking around like he was trying to work out where something was. 

“What do you want Roman?” asked Dean knowing from Paige giving them heads up he was coming, Renee had told Seth when they picked her up so he didn’t have any nasty surprises. Roman held up the papers he was given earlier on still none the wiser of why they walked away from the company or what had made them decide to do it. “You want to know why, that’s ironic because me and Seth were wondering why you were the one to go behind his back with Zara” added Dean knowing Roman wasn’t expecting to be answering questions on what he done hence he wasn’t prepared for it. “To answer your questions, Seth wanted to walk away because he couldn’t trust you any more, he finally admitted it this morning. Where as I made the decision as soon as I caught you two together. You always wanted to be the one in charge of the company now you got it, your the only owner now” explained Dean answering the question on when they had decided to walk away and why, the lack of trust had destroyed their friendship, business partnership and brotherhood. 

“Zara told me some things, she said you two would argue about the smallest thing, or you would accuse her of things, ignore her and neglect to tell her things” responded Roman revealing Zara had been telling him things. Dean looked to Seth knowing the things he hadn’t told her were the same things he himself hadn’t told Renee due to it being connected to the company and thrust could put her in life threatening danger, he also knew from experience the arguments weren’t what they seemed. Seth just shook his head resisting the urge to punch the Samoan, showing their was lack of trust long before the affair had began, so in its own the affair had shown just how much Roman had thought when it come to him and just how well he really knew both Seth and Dean. 

“Those arguments were caused when she kept accusing me of cheating on her, or when she got picky about how something looked, again she was the one accusing me of things. I wouldn’t answer the phone when I was doing things for the company and she refused to listen to the reason as for not telling her things, they were things surrounding the company so she wouldn’t be put in danger. Now you have the answers and showed just how much you know me, you can answer my question” replied Seth giving Roman the answer to the things Zara had told him, he had done those things to protect her, yet she never understood and instead accused him of cheating when it fact it was her who had been the player, she was the one who had gone behind his back. “What did I do to you? For you to stab me in the back and have an affair with Zara?” asked Seth seeing the way Roman looked at him. He knew Roman would probably make up something after all taking responsibility for his actions wasn’t the Samoans strong point. “Guess you were right” spoke Seth to Dean before walking off, when Roman didn’t answer his question, he had just entered the kitchen when he crashed into someone, both ending upon the floor. 

“Sorry about that wasn’t looking where I was going” came the English voice of Paige, a small smile on her lips as she got herself off the floor and held a hand out to help her new house mate up as well. “Good to know you accepted my offer of staying here, it will be nice to have the same protector and a friend I can talk to” added Paige before walking the way Seth come from the Iowan smiling slight before going after deciding now was as good as any to ask her about working for her company. Although he still had no idea what it was actually called. He knew Zara was in the mansion somewhere no doubt being jealous of what Paige had in comparison to what she did. He knew if the two ever met and Zara show her attitude off there was a good chance Paige would give back as good as she got. She seemed like someone who would say something back rather than sit there and take it. 

“Hey Paige” called Seth chasing after the younger woman, coming to a stop just in front of where Zara, Roman, Dean and Renee were, he didn’t care if Roman and Zara heard what he was going to say, they had made their points clear when they had an affair and didn’t think he would find out about it. “I want to work for you company, be your protector or whatever else you need me to be. I gave up my third of Shield” added Seth seeing Dean smile at seeing the Iowan go after what he wanted starting by getting close to the girl in question, Renee too smiled at seeing this, at how he was willing to do whatever it took to be there for her. “Whatever the job, as long as I get to work for you I would be happy” finished the Iowan, a small smile on his lips when she nodded to his request, to which she looked over to Dean knowing from Renee he too had given up his third of the Shield like Seth had done. 

“What about you Dean, do you want to work for me too?” asked Paige turning to the man in question, he looked surprised to say the least that she was offering to give him somewhere to work if he wanted it, he soon looked to Renee and nodded to her question. “Fair enough, both of you are assigned under Finn on the security detail, since you two are good at that. Where as Renee there is already the head of the house, as well as my advisor” continued Paige giving them a job she knew they could do with the security detail and revealing Renee was the person she had appointed one of the heads of house and her advisor when it come to things. Dean looked down to Renee seeing her innocent smile and realising that was what she was so excited about a few days prior. It was at that point Roman knew he had truly lost all chance he had to get the two to come back to the company, Zara however just looked at Paige with a disgusted look that she would grant the wishes of two people she seen as undeserving. 

“Why am I not surprised” spoke Zara thinking Paige had left to return to where she was before so was slightly unnerved to see the raven haired woman standing in front of her, just looking at her like she was slightly asking her to continue. “You, a privileged girl who has everything ever wanted at her finger tips without having to lift a finger a day in her life. You don’t deserve any of this. Then you had the nerve to give my ex a job when he just walked away from the one he had, just as you gave an unstable lunatic another place of employment, you’ll regret. I regret every day I spent with both of them, neither of them can compare to Roman, I mean he is the best at everything, plus he lives up to what he says” finished Zara thinking she was above everything and everyone around her. Paige just smiled and giggled a little bit before slapping Zara around the face, the fury in her eyes burning brightly, Seth quickly grabbed hold of the younger woman before she could do any more damage. Roman to grabbed hold of Zara but not before she got a handful of Paige’s raven hair. 

“You can say what you want about me, I don’t care. As for Seth and Dean I would trust them with my life, clearly I’m not the privileged on here” responded Paige in a rather clam manner considering she was near enough in a cat fight with the other dark haired woman, Renee held the front door open while Dean directed the duo of Zara and Roman out, knowing they wouldn’t be able to re-enter through the black glossed door without someone opening it for them due to neither of them having a code or handprint in the database. Seth let go of Paige after, surprised to say the least he hadn’t expected that reaction from the young Brit or for her to stand up for him and Dean, although he was rather proud to hear she would trust both men with her life if the time should ever call for it. 

“Remind me not to get on your bad side, especially if that is your first reaction” spoke Dean an amused smile on his lips which only got bigger when she looked over to him, putting her hair back in place a smile soon coming to her own lips. “You know you would be brilliant when or if you take over leadership. I can guarantee no one would mess with you, they’d be too scared your unpredictable something that’s helpful in this business” added Dean knowing if and when she took control of the company it would no doubt go in a different direction, no doubt in a better one than it was at the moment, he could see her expanding the company to different areas so it had more to offer the clients. It wasn’t long before the older man looked over to Seth seeing the way he was looking in the direction Paige had walked off in, as well as listening to Zara shouting through the door and Roman banging on it to be let back in again, not likely to happen though, it was about time he figured things out for himself rather than relied on him and Seth to do it for him. “Don’t do anything stupid, I have a feeling if you do she wont forgive you for it” added Dean before patting Seth on the shoulder and leaving to join Renee in the living room, she was looking out the window and watching the pair as they tried to re-enter the mansion much to her amusement. 

“Paige” spoke Seth when he bung on her bedroom door, upon hearing her voice he entered the room, noticing it had changed a little bit, with the neutral bedding being swapped for a black simple one, complete with purple and silver cushions to break the black up a little bit. He walked up behind her as she was on the balcony looking over the front garden as well as watching the duo at the front door, she could see oncoming vehicles as they entered through the gates from where she stood. When he finally got to her, he gentle placed his hand on her shoulder turning her around to face him before she could say anything he quickly leant down and pressed his lips to hers, pulling away shortly after to see the stunned expression on her pale features, clearly she wasn’t expecting anything like that. That being further backed up when she slowly lifted her hand to touch her lips and looked over to where he stood still with the same stunned expression painted on her features. 

“Was it not you who told me to expect the unexpected” whispered Seth in her left ear as she come to stand next to him, a smile on his lips when she playfully punched him in the arm, a smile coming to her own painted lips shortly after. He was surprised things weren’t awkward between them after if anything she seemed more comfortable around him just as he did around her. Like he was meant to be there with her, maybe Dean was right, if he followed his heart then he could find what he had been searching for, for so long. Maybe he could find that one special person that was out there waiting for him although he was aware Punk, AJ, Dean and Renee were convinced that special someone was the woman standing next to him looking down at the two who were still tempting to get through the securely locked front door. 

“Are you going to let us back in so we can solve this?” asked Roman, looking up to see Paige and Seth leaning on the black metal railings between the stone pillars, Zara too followed suite with looking up when she heard Roman talking, seeing the same sight he had, only with Seth smiling about something. The duo on the balcony only looked at each other before Paige shook her head in reply to the question hearing the disappointed and frustrated sigh that escaped from Roman. Seth knew the man had met his match when it come to Paige, he was used to getting it his own way and Paige was stubborn to the point she wasn’t going to give in to what he wanted so easily if ever. It wasn’t long before the Iowan lead the one he had kissed a few minutes prior back into the bedroom making sure to lock the bedroom door before continuing on with what he had in mind.


	8. Chapter 8 - Whatever It Takes

“So how are things in your new residents?” asked Dean sitting with Seth in the living room or at least one of them of Princess mansion. He had noticed over the last week or so, the slightly younger Iowan had regained the seemingly lost smile, just as he had regained some of the confidence he had lost with the recent break up he had endure. “Come to think of it how is the new job since we both work for Paige now?” added Dean, knowing he himself loved his new job as he was closer to his wife and could see his best friend at the same time. Plus he had gotten to know Paige a lot better, he now considered her one of the many in his close circle of friends, seeing although she was technically his boss she was also someone that needed help understanding her new role and who needed protecting at all costs. 

“Its good, Paige is amazing keeps making sure I’m okay although I should be asking her that considering I’m supposed to be her protector. The new job is worth it, she listens and takes the things I suggest seriously, knows that I am doing them to protect her. She also knows there is a killer out there hunting women who have the same traits as her, she is scared but tries not to show it” responded Seth leaving out the part where his relationship with the woman who was by rights his boss was a little more complicated than just protector and protectee. He knew she was anything but a damsel in distress, hence why he never treated her like one, he was honest with her when it come to doing his job as her personal protector, wherever she went during the day he would be there to make sure no harm come to her while she was doing whatever she had wanted. “Have you heard from Roman?” asked Seth wondering if the man he had realised was his only true friend had heard from their former business partner and friend. They knew over the days he had gone quiet, although they were slightly unnerved about it at the moment neither man was worried. 

“Not a word. Lets hope he hasn’t turned against us. If he has then Paige could be in more danger since he knows her location and Renee could be as well due to Roman knowing she is my weakness” replied Dean, knowing if Roman had indeed turned against them then both girls would be in danger. Renee was his weakness which would mean Roman would go after in an attempt to hurt him, where as Paige was Seth’s main priority although Dean suspected there was more than the younger man was letting on, he could tell from the slight sparkle in Seth’s eyes, as he could with Paige’s extra bounce in her step. “I know this is weird but if Roman does turn against us then he will help Evolution, there’s a chance they are here in Florida. If they know about Paige then she’s in more danger than she was with the other hunting her before” added Dean knowing if it was Evolution behind the recent murders then they could be in some serious trouble. Roman knew the location of Princess Mansion, which would mean he had something they wanted and they could give him what he wanted in return for her location. 

“He wouldn’t do that surely. With Shane being connected to them. He wouldn’t risk being in the firing line of Shane. Not when he has been looking over his shoulder every day since we went into hiding” spoke Seth knowing if Roman did help the Authority then he would have to face Shane since the man was the older brother of Stephanie and his brother in law ran the entire show. He knew the odds of Roman doing that were low unless he could give Shane what he wanted as well. “The only way he could get away with that is if he gives Shane our real names as a way of gaining his own freedom” continued Seth knowing if Roman did turn against them then it was hopeless for them to stand and fight. It was hopeless for them to use their original plans of escape as Roman would know them all. They would have to run once more or come up with a way of combating them. 

“Or we could give Mark and Kane the information necessary for them to bring down Evolution” came a voice with an Irish ascent from the door way. When both men turned around the were greeted with Finn smiling back at them. Next to him stood Paige, a small smile of her own on her lips, she knew better than anyone how to disappear. After all with the help of Finn she was hidden in plain sight yet her family hadn’t seen her. “I’ve kept Paige hidden for years now without Evolution realising, she’s been in plain sight the entire time. For the last couple of months she has been hidden from her father at her own choice. If I can do that then I’m pretty sure I can keep you two and Renee hidden too, along with Punk and AJ. That way they can’t use anyone to draw you out” spoke Finn looking to Paige knowing she had already come up with a plan in case something like this ever happened. 

“I asked Karl and Luke to follow Roman a few weeks ago, after everything come to light and you guys gave him full control of the company. What you fear has already happened, he has joined with Evolution. When he did he gave your real names to Shane and the location of the mansion to them. But Luke and Karl have been compiling evidence against them for the illegal business” continued Paige revealing what the pair feared had already happened, Roman had turned against them and given the others the information needed to find Paige and them without much hassle, yet it appeared as if the pair in front of them had a back up plan the entire time just in case anything like this happened. “All I have to do is talk to my dad. If he thinks I went into hiding because of them, then he will do anything he can to make sure they are caught before they get to us” finished Paige revealing she had to speak to the one man she did particularly want to talk to at the moment, she was still coming to terms with everything he had hidden from her. She didn’t know if she could trust another word he spoke to her, but knew if she was going to live then she had to talk to him again and tell him everything including that she was aware of the business he had tried to hide from her along with her uncle Kane. 

“That would also mean going on the run for the time being. You would have to split up to make things harder for them to find you. AJ and Punk left yesterday, they never said where they were heading but they have means and ways of contacting each of us to let us know they are okay” added Finn knowing things were going to be rough for a little while. “There is one downside though. With Paige on the run it will make it easier of Jarrett’s bunch to find her and do whatever they had planned. Either way she will be in danger” added Finn knowing as Paige did whatever she did she was going to be in danger. If she stayed there was a chance Evolution with the help of Roman would find and kill her, if she went on the run then there was a higher chance Jarrett’s TNA bunch would get hold of and eliminate her or do something to her. It was risky either way. 

“I’ll go tell Renee” responded Dean knowing going on the run was the safest way to protect her and make sure he kept to his promise. Seth on the other hand was in a little bit of a conundrum, he was unsure if it was wise to take Paige and run or if he should go on his own. “Paige, why don’t you go and call your dad, set things in motion. Let him know your okay, at least that way he will have reassurance he hasn’t lost you completely” added Dean knowing Seth needed time to think, he watched as Paige nodded before leaving the room and going into her room, she knew if she was going to do this then she was going to need privacy, she was well aware there was a high chance she was going to end up in tears. She always did when she spoke to her dad after a falling out although she was aware this time was likely to be different as she could have to say goodbye to him for a little while. 

“Where is she safer?” asked Seth looking over to Finn when he was sure Dean was out of hearing range, he knew Paige wouldn’t be able to hear them. “Here or on the run which is safer?” asked Seth knowing if anyone knew which was safer when it come to the one who had effectively been nicknamed Princess then it was the man who had kept her hidden for so long. “Please be honest with me Finn where is she safer? Her safety means everything to me like she does, if she is safer here then I will go on the run on my own, if she is safer on the run then I will take her with me when I go. I will do whatever it takes to make sure she isn’t hurt because of what Roman has done” finished Seth revealing he would leave Paige behind if that was the best way to make sure she was safe, Finn knew neither would be safe but at the moment there was one safer than the other. 

“On the run. She would be safer if she is on the run. At the moment Evolution know her location thanks to Roman, they are most likely behind the recent murders of woman who look like her and have names beginning with P” responded Finn knowing it was a lot safer if she was on the run, he was aware Evolution posed a greater threat to her than what the TNA bunch did. “I will go and tell her, at least that way she can say goodbye to her family for the time being. It will also assure her father he isn’t the reason why she is going” added Finn walking away shortly after. Seth knew he would be the one responsible for Paige’s safety. Punk and AJ were already on the run, Dean and Renee were going to go together so that meant either he and Paige would be on their own or they would being going together. He knew he would feel at lot better if she was with him, at least that way he wouldn’t be worrying himself over what was happening to her. 

“Hey dad” spoke Paige when she heard her father’s voice on the phone, she could hear the relief in his voice at hearing her voice after months of nothing. “I’m okay, Finn just took me into hiding so Jeff Jarrett and his guys couldn’t find me. I would have come and visit you sooner but with the recent murders I figured it would be safer to stay hidden” replied Paige to the question her father had asked her. She turned around when she heard someone opening her bedroom door, seeing Finn walking through he quickly wrote something down on a piece of paper and showed it to her. She nodded shortly after and thought about the best way to tell her father he wouldn’t be able to see her for a little while longer. “Dad I have to go on the run. Someone who was helping to keep me hidden turned on all of us here, he told the people who are behind the murders my location and all the hiding spots around the city. I’m going to put Finn on so he can explain it a little better” spoke Paige tears coming to her eyes at having to tell her father she was basically the one the people who were killing those innocent people are after. She quickly handed the phone over to Finn going to pack a few things before she had to go. 

“Hello Mr Calaway” politely spoke Finn knowing he was about to explain who it was behind the murders and who was forcing his oldest daughter to run. “The people who are responsible for the recent string of murders are part of the illegal but rather cleverly hidden business Evolution. They are a lot worse than Jeff Jarrett and his TNA boys. So it is safer to send her away until they are caught” replied Finn knowing there would be a lot to tell her father while also keeping his own involvement in the underworld a secret. “She wont be going alone. A friend of mine who has been protecting her since I hid her away a few months ago is going with her. He will do whatever he has to, to keep her safe. Plus Paige knows and trusts him” continued Finn knowing this was the only way to protect her. “Roman Reigns, he was a friend of mine. In addition to giving Evolution her whereabouts he has also given them the names of his former friends forcing them to go on the run as well. And I will be staying here to help in any way I can. I will keep you updated on what is happening when I hear anything” finished Finn hearing the line go dead on the other end signalling the man known as the Undertaker had hung up the phone. 

“He going to let you go, under the condition you let me know you’re okay whenever you can. I will pass on the information and help him catch them. You will be able to come back home Princess and you will have your business to come back to as well” spoke Finn turning to Paige. He hugged her tightly before leading her down the stairs, he had grabbed hold of her bag on the way out. Seth was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, his own bag near the door waiting to be picked up as he left. “Seth here is going with you, make sure you’re safe as possible” added Finn when he got to the bottom of the stairs, although he knew this was the only true way of protecting her it didn’t mean he had to like the idea. 

A few days earlier saw Roman in the main office of Evolution, he had merged with them weeks ago, in return he would hold a high position with in their company. He had also agreed to give them information on Paige and her whereabouts as well as her protects. Just as he had offered to give Shane the actual names of his former partners in exchange for his freedom and Zarah’s safety. To him this was the best way to go, with the help of Evolution he could keep the only person he had truly loved safe and also show his former friends how he felt when they turned their backs on him in favour of joining Paige. He knew if Finn or any of his demons found out he was behind Evolution getting what they wanted then it wouldn’t end well for him but it was a risk he was willing to take. 

“So you would betray your brothers and give us information on this Paige to gain your freedom from Shane, join us permanently and protect your girl?” asked Hunter not sure if he could trust a man who would do that. He knew the Shield were strong, they had avoided capture for months in Orlando and years elsewhere in the country, they had everything they wanted yet here was the one who signalled power and strength sitting before him willing to give his brother in law the information needed to catch his two best friends in exchange for his own freedom, here he was willing to give them the location of the girl they were after although he had no idea why they were even after her, Hunter was aware for all Roman knew the girl could be innocent, for the most part she was, they merely wanted to eliminate her due to her inheritance and what her mother had left her. 

“They turned their backs on me first. When I told them I loved Zarah instead of supporting me as any good friend and brother would, they turned on me. Gave me full control of our business and joined Finn’s as his demons. As for giving you the location of Paige, I’ve been to the place they are keeping her, but its going to take some planning to get into it” responded Roman revealing he thought his so called brothers had turned on him first. He knew going behind Seth’s back with Zarah was wrong just as he knew the younger Iowan had a right to be angry but he didn’t understand why they had both give up their thirds of the company and left. It wasn’t long before the door to the office opened, Stephanie entered shortly followed by her older brother Shane, the latter had a smirk which could rival that of a mass murder on death row upon seeing the Samoan there. 

“He’s here to up hold his end of the bargain and yes Shane that does mean you have to let him go since he will be working with us” spoke Hunter informing both his wife and brother in law why Roman was there, and putting to bed any suspicions that he had only come to join them to get information. “He knows her location, and who is running little misses company at the moment, he also knows all the hiding spots Dean and Seth will use and all the plans they would put in place” added Hunter seeing a smile coming to the lips of Stephanie at hearing they could either gain control of their biggest rival in terms of business or they could destroy it with little to no effort. She liked what she was hearing and knew if they were successful then no one would challenge them, they would be invincible to others in their world. “So care to divulge the information, now that both Stephanie and Shane are here” finished Hunter knowing Roman wanted to tell the three of them at the same time. The Samoan nodded before looking at the map of the city framed on the wall. He knew he couldn’t give an address but he could show them the location. 

“Princess Mansion is here, but it will be near enough impossible to get into. The security on the place is beyond anything I have ever seen before. The doors are locked using hand print recognition and a code only certain people are in the database, the windows are made of both flexiglass and bulletproof glass. So unless someone lets us in there, there is no way of entering it” spoke Roman informing them off the mansions location and security, they maybe able to get through the front gates but it was near impossible to get into the mansion itself, not even the Wyatt’s as crafty as they were could get through that. It really was a fortress. “As for the company she inherited from her mother, she’s aware of it but as far as I can tell she’s not the one running it. That appears to be the one who kept her hidden from you for so long. Finn Balor” added Roman revealing Paige wasn’t the one currently running the rival business to Evolution, she was only aware of it but as of yet hadn’t taken control. 

“What about your brothers, why haven’t I been able to find them?” asked Shane wanting to get the information he was promised. He had agreed to Roman’s terms if he got the information needed to find the duo then he would grant Roman his freedom and help in protecting his beloved Zarah. “You know who they are, and offered the names in return for your freedom, so care to share their names” continued Shane clearly he wanted the names so he could finish what he started all those years ago when he sent a squad of his best men to silence them for good. Not that it worked. He had only been able to track Roman from then his two brothers had disappeared completely, well that was until now when Roman himself had informed him they had used different alias back then in order to protect themselves when they got out. 

“Tyler Black his actual name is Seth Rollins, he is Paige’s main protector and lives in the mansion with her. As for Jon Moxley his real name is Dean Ambrose, his biggest weakness is his wife Renee, he would do whatever it takes to protect her even exchange places with her if she was in life threatening danger” responded Roman revealing their actual names and also what their weakness could be, he knew Seth was likely to do anything he could to protect Paige even if that meant leaving her behind so the people hunting them would just go after him instead of both of them. “Seth will do anything he can to make sure Paige is safe even if that means he had to leave her. He loves her” added Roman revealing he was aware Seth was in love with Paige even if he hadn’t admitted it to the girl in question. Shane only nodded to the information he had been given and held out his hand as if to seal the deal. Roman had held up his end and given the information promised, as well as a little extra with what their weakness was. 

“Congratulations Roman you are free. And your pretty little girlfriend is safe from me” replied Shane shaking Roman’s hand and leaving, it was clear he was going to make a start on hunting the pair down. Roman had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before they were caught, the pair wouldn’t see it coming and they weren’t aware of the merge he had done with the company. He knew everyone there thought they were his brothers but after the events that took place he no longer seen the pair of Seth and Dean as brothers or friends. To him they were just business partners or former business partners and he was just severing a business connection. 

In the present day Finn had given something to Paige and sent her away with Seth telling them both not to tell anyone where they were going even him. He had also watched as Seth drove away in the car he had given Paige a while back, knowing it was the safest option for getting away. At this moment in time Finn was keeping a close watch on Roman, he had moved in to the place Zarah now owned acting like nothing was wrong, it was clear Zarah was aware of what was going on, after all the woman wasn’t that oblivious they would have told her what was happening back when she became involved with one of them. At Finn’s side was AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows his most trusted demons, they were the only others besides Paige’s father that was aware she was no longer in the mansion and who she was with, although like everyone they didn’t know where she was or where she was heading as far as any of them were aware no one did. 

“So he’s the one who gave Evolution information on the Princess?” asked AJ looking over to Luke and Karl who had been watching him for weeks. Both men merely nodded to the question they had gone unnoticed by the man so far, even when they had purposely bumped into him on a few occasions but that was just to make it appear like they were just random citizens in the city trying to get to a certain place. They were aware Roman had no idea he and Zarah had been followed for weeks now, nor was he aware all information about Paige’s whereabouts was now wrong. “Not to be a downer or anything but aren’t they the Wyatt’s?” spoke AJ informing the others the Wyatt family were there, the same ones who had informed Paige of the fate her mother had suffered so long ago. 

“I believe it is. This should be interesting” replied Finn using the pair of binoculars he had brought with him to get a good look at what was going on. Although he was unsure who the Wyatt’s actually worked for or who their allegiance was with he knew they were a force to be reckoned with. There had been many unsuspecting people caught and eliminated by the four of them. Not even Bray’s brother could help someone stop him before he got to his target. Finn was very thankful the day they had gotten to Paige they weren’t there to harm her but instead helped protect her by killing the two who had broken in as well as give her that information. The four men watched from a near by rooftop as Roman spoke to them and as who appeared to be Erick took hold of Zarah. They guessed Roman was shouting something at them or they were there to get something. 

“They’ve taken Zarah. Which means they’re not working with Evolution” spoke Karl remembering that Evolution had offered to protect the woman who had been taken by the family of four. They knew whomever they were working for were making sure they had something against Roman. In this case that would be Zarah. It wasn’t long before Finn’s phone buzzed signalling he had either an incoming call or a text message from someone, he quickly took a look seeing an unread message. As the Irishman read over it he smiled seeing what the words said. He knew there was someone else out there besides himself watching over the one they called Princess, except this person called her by a different name. 

“It appears we’re not the only ones out there keeping watch of Paige. The Wyatt’s are helping Corey Graves, an old school friend of hers. He sent out an order to get something valuable to Roman, it appears that valuable something is Zarah” spoke Finn a smile coming to his lips at seeing the person the Wyatt’s were working for was also someone who was intent on protecting Paige. He had grown up with her so knew her better than anyone, although it was a mystery to most including the four men on the rooftop of how he ended up in the underworld in the first place, as far as they were aware he had no connections to their world other than knowing Paige but even he didn’t know she was by rights the owner of a huge company. “He calls her Wednesday, has Steen, Generico and a few others out there making sure no one gets to her while she’s on the run. He’s doing the same for Dean and Renee since he knew Seth and Dean from their days working with Shane” added Finn surprised to learn Corey was the one who had given him the information he needed to find Paige in the first place, when he knew he couldn’t do it alone he found Finn and his Demons to help. 

When the four men were sure the Wyatt’s had done what they were tasked to do, they left their hiding spot and made themselves known to Roman, he seemed surprised to see them but that surprise soon turned to anger directed at Finn as he was sure the smaller Irishman had sent the family of four to do the task they had just completed. It soon dawned on the Samoan that his previous naive thoughts of them not knowing what he had done could have been wrong and Finn and his Demons were aware of his recent alliance with Evolution and what he had to do to secure that alliance as well as his freedom. He was now convinced they had sent Bray and his family to fetch Zarah and take her away from him. 

“Why did you send the Wyatt’s after Zarah, she hasn’t done anything. She has nothing to do with any of this” shouted Roman the anger he had burning brightly in his eyes, yet there was worry sparkling there along with a hint or concern on what might happen to her and her over all well being. Everything he had neglected to show about the two men who were supposed to be his best friends he had shown to this woman. “She’s pregnant for fuck sake, just let her go. I don’t care what your problem is, or what you want. All I care about is her” continued Roman as it dawned on him she had been taken in retribution for what he had done. He hated the people who were standing before him the ones who had taken his Zarah when she was in such a fragile state. 

“Not to burst your delusional bubble but we’re not the ones who sent the Wyatt’s after you, the same person who sent them to Paige months ago also sent them after you and Zarah. So you can imagine if we know what you did then so does the person who has control of them” responded Finn revealing he had nothing to do with the Wyatt’s taking Zarah although he could probably guess the reason for it. It wasn’t that hard to figure it out. “You turned in your brothers to Shane to get your freedom and to get revenge but why did you tell them about Paige’s location, why did you put her in danger when she has done nothing to you. She’s innocent and now because of you she’s in more danger than she was before” added Finn wanting to know why Roman had given them Paige’s location when she hadn’t done anything to them, she had given Seth a place to stay and both of them a friend but that was it. 

“She took them from me. They wouldn’t have left if it wasn’t for her. If she isn’t around then Evolution become invincible, I get what I want and no one will have to worry about the Brothers of Destruction” replied Roman hearing a few chuckles come from in front of him. Roman look to Finn who had a cheeky smile on his lips as did AJ Styles but they weren’t the one laughing, the one laughing was coming from behind him. When he turned around he seen another man standing there, wearing jeans, a pair of converse and a black t-shirt. He seemed amused by the words Roman had spoke although it wasn’t surprising considering who it was. Roman looked the other man up and down, noticing his piercing ice blue eyes, the tattoo’s covering his arms and printed on his knuckles, he had never seen this man before but he was sure he was about to make an acquittance with him. 

“If she isn’t around your so called brothers wont come back. They left because of you not her. Plus if she wasn’t around then there is no one to stop The Brother’s of Destruction or at least Mark from breaking every law there is and taking justice into his own hands. She’s smarter than you think, if she’s not around to run Knight’s Raven then whomever she has appointed in her place will. Plus I was the one who ordered the Wyatt’s to take Zarah. Her being pregnant gives you another reason to not cross us. Especially if you want to see her and your unborn child again” spoke the man, Finn, AJ, Karl and Luke had realised who it was, especially Finn who had received at text message from him just minutes before hand. “You want her back then make sure Shane doesn’t get to either of them, make sure they can come home. If not you wont see either of them” added Corey before walking away without saying his name, knowing there was only one way to get Roman to comply, take something that meant a great deal to him in this case Zarah. 

At the police station Mark was sat at his desk looking at the pictures of his family there. Especially of the last family photo taken. It was took just a few days before the formal event where he had last seen his oldest daughter, he didn’t know how he was going to tell Kaia her older sister wasn’t going to be coming home for a little while longer or how he was going to tell Michelle, her beloved step daughter was in more danger than both he and Kane had originally thought. He soon leant forward and picked up the framed photograph he had of Paige, she was smiling happily at the camera like she didn’t have a care in the world, he couldn’t bare to lose either of his daughters. They and Michelle were his world they made it worth living, just like Kane’s wife and daughters meant everything to him. 

“Have you heard from her?” asked Kane entering the floor of office cubicles, he knew his older brother would be there, trying to find any lead he could that would get him information on whether Paige was okay. He had waited on edge to hear from her and worried himself that she had already fallen victim to the people who had become knows as the Lady P killers, since it had become obvious there was more than one of them. Mark looked up from the picture of Paige he was looking at and nodded to the question, he knew he should have been happy to hear from her but learning what he had, he didn’t see how he could be happy about it. “What’s wrong if she okay?” asked Kane seeing there was something bothering his brother, normally he was happy to hear from Paige after they had fallen out but he seemed to be the opposite of that, more worried if anything. 

“She’s okay at the moment. Finn had been hiding her so Jeff Jarrett couldn’t get to her. But she has had to go on the run, one of the men helping to keep her hidden turned against him and gave Evolution the ones behind the Lady P murders her location, as well as the names of her protectors, he sent her away to keep her safe. Paige is the target of the Lady P Killers” responded Mark revealing although she was okay at the moment it was unlikely to last long. She had this Evolution lot hunting her, as well as Jeff Jarrett’s men out there looking, and she was on the run because of one man. “We have to do something Kane. I can’t just sit here knowing my oldest daughter is out there, I can’t just sit here knowing there is a chance I wont see here again, knowing there is chance she wont ever come home” continued Mark knowing he had to do something whether that was alone or with the help of Kane. 

“So are we going after the guy who betrayed Finn or are we going after the ones he gave the information to?” asked Kane knowing if the roles were reversed then Mark would do whatever he could to help so he was going to do the same. After all Paige was his family too, she was his oldest niece and just a few years younger than his own two girls in Emma and Summer. He would be lost without them just as he could see Mark was lost without his oldest in Paige. “Scratch that, we’re going after both of them aren’t we” spoke Kane figuring if they were going to help then they wouldn’t just be aiming at one of them, it would be both, the one who betrayed Finn and the people he had given the information to. One way or another they were going to bring Paige home. 

“Then you maybe in need of this?” came a voice from the door way, when the Brothers of Destruction looked up, they were met with the sight of Paige’s childhood friend Corey Graves. “I gave Finn the information he needed to find and hide Paige ages ago, and I’ve been keeping an eye on anyone who poses a threat. For the time being Roman is under my control, he has given all information he has on Evolution and there is also everything I know about them and what some of Finn’s demons have found out” spoke Corey handing over the box he had with him to the two brothers. They knew his parents were in the same business yet had let them go when they found out about him, realising if his parents went down then he would end up in the system. They could also tell from looking at him he had inherited the family business much like Paige had done with Saraya’s. 

“Couldn’t resist the call of the family business” replied Kane seeing Corey smile and respond with a simple shake of his head. “How much does she know?” asked Kane, knowing it was something Mark wanted to know as well he was just too afraid to ask. He knew if they stopped the current threat there was still a chance his brother could lose his oldest child. Like Corey she had a strong connection to the underworld but unlike his parents who told him of it and what he was to inherit one day, they had hidden the truth for her in the hopes she would never find out and tried to destroy the business her mother had left behind for her. 

“She knows what really happened to Saraya. As well as about her actual connection to the underworld. She is also aware of her inheritance including Knight’s Raven. Which you didn’t destroy by the way its been hidden pretty well here in Orlando, the person running it brought it here to her instead of her going to England. She’s not running the business at the moment but she is well aware of its existence as well as the rest of the things her mum left for her” responded Corey telling them the things they wanted to know and confirming what they feared had come true and Paige was now aware of everything her mother had left her when she was only a toddler. “If you are wondering about her protector then his name is Seth Rollins, he’s a former black ops along with Dean Ambrose. He promised to do whatever he had to in order to keep her safe even if that means leaving her behind” finished Corey revealing the man who she was on the run with would do whatever it took to keep her safe. At least giving the pair peace of mind she was in safe hand despite being on the run from Evolution.


	9. Chapter 9 - Hunted

“My daughter is out there somewhere, running for her life scared and thinking god knows what. Whomever is hunting her isn’t going to stop until they get what they want” spoke Mark, looking over at his boss, he had spent days trying to convince the other man to help him bring down this bunch known as Evolution, yet he had refused always saying there wasn’t enough evidence. Even when Corey had given them sufficient proof of what the others hunting Paige were up to. Just like every other time Sheriff Flair looked over to the man who had become known as the Undertaker, he shook his head and walked from the room, placing a hand on the taller man’s shoulder as he went. “What do you expect me to do Sheriff? I refuse to sit by and do nothing as my daughter is lost, I refuse to stand by and let these criminals hurt her” added Mark making it know he wasn’t going to sit there and do nothing while is oldest daughter was out there trying to survive. 

“Criminals? From what I have seen these people your contact named are just citizens trying to get somewhere in this world. But this Finn Balor your daughter’s friend, he’s not as innocent as he first appears” responded Sheriff Flair handing over a file to the rather confused Mark. He would admit neither he or Kane knew Paige’s saviour and close friend well but they had never suspected he had anything to do with the underworld. “He appears to be running a company called Knight’s Raven” spoke Sheriff Flair, revealing the illegal company Finn was running. Mark looked over at him the horror in his eyes at the words he had spoken, Kane must have heard it also as he had looked over to where he was with almost complete uncertainty about what was going to happen now. 

“Knight’s Raven?” whispered Kane walking over to his brother knowing it wasn’t going to look good. “If Finn is the one running it then he went looking for Paige for a reason” continued Kane not sure if Finn was a friend or foe at this point, especially with finding out Finn was the one who ran the company they had tried to find for over twenty years. He had hidden it away from them to the point they believed they had destroyed it. Kane knew Mark was now fearing the worst, Finn was the only one who had contact with Paige, the one who had hidden her away and sent her on the run with the man who was supposedly protecting her, although both brothers now doubted that. In their eyes Finn was just as much of an enemy as Evolution were. 

“Konnor, Viktor” called Mark turning to the two he had original sent to protect his princess, they had done a good job of it until the formal event months before hand when they lost track of Paige and she found out most things both he and Kane had been hiding from her. “See if you can find Paige, if you do let me know so we can bring her home where she is safe” ordered Mark determined one way or another she was going to be safe, even if he had to personally keep twenty four hour protection around her. He didn’t want to see her go down the same path as her mother had done, nor did he want to lose her in the same way. Paige was all he had left of Saraya, although he had found someone else in Michelle he couldn’t forget the woman he would have done anything for. Nor could he help seeing the strong resemblance Saraya and Paige held to each other. 

“I will question Finn, see if I can find out where she is and what she actually knows” added Kane before walking away, knowing it was best he talk to Finn rather than Mark due to his brother having high emotions. He knew he was less likely to lose his temper than Mark was, plus he could probably coax the truth out of the other man, and hopefully bring Paige home safely. He quickly gathered his things and found Finn’s home address knowing it was going to be an unofficial chat for now but if and when they got evidence then he wouldn’t waste any time in returning with an arrest warrant. He wasn’t sure if he knew how to react to Finn now, just as he knew Mark didn’t. After all the Irishman had saved Paige’s life years prior, staying with her until help arrived and sent her flowers when she was in the hospital. He had befriended Paige all this time. To make matters worse he knew Mark would remember Corey mentioning he had given Finn, Paige’s location so he could protect her. 

With Roman he was currently in his shared home with Zarah who was still missing, well he knew where she was with but didn’t dare to think what was happening to her. He knew if he did what he had promised then he would get her back but if he failed then he knew he would never see her or their unborn child again, he didn’t want to imagine what would happen to her if he did fail to uphold his end of the bargain. At this moment in time he was in the living room, the TV playing a random program, a bottle of alcohol in front of him on the table, he was sat on the sofa holding on to the picture of Zarah and himself from a few years back, wondering how he was going to stop Shane from hunting his former brothers and from going after Paige. 

“What am I supposed to do Zarah? If I stop Evolution and Shane then I would have to go on the run and leave you behind to protect you. If I don’t stop them then I lose you and our child. What do I do?” asked Roman to the picture he held on to. He knew whichever he decided he would lose her, one would be by his own choice and the other would be through the actions of someone else, he hated the predicament he now found himself in and knew in a way he had brought it on himself. He didn’t know the Wyatt’s would turn on Evolution as they had done, nor did he know who they truly took orders from until they came and took Zarah away from him, if he had done his research a little better then he would have been prepared for it and be able to protect her from the hell she was likely to be going through now. 

“Whatever you decide is up to you, think it through. If you help us there is a chance The Brothers of Destruction will be kinder to you for helping to bring her home. If you don’t then there isn’t a force on earth that will stop them from sending everyone down who has something to do with Evolution. You know they will make it stick” spoke AJ Styles from the door, Roman quickly turned around to face him, confusion gleaming in his eyes at how he had gained entry into the house and why he was even there in the first place. He didn’t both to greet the unwanted guest nor did he say anything instead Roman turned his attention back to the framed picture that was a constant reminder of what he could lose and what the woman he loved so much looked like. “I get why you turned Seth and Dean over to Shane but I don’t understand why you gave them Paige too. She’s innocent” added AJ making his point of being there clear to the other man, he had no intention of doing anything but get the answer to his simple question. 

“She isn’t innocent, if it wasn’t for her then we would have sorted through our problems together as we always have. Plus Evolution wanted her to eliminate the competition, if she’s gone then they will come back” responded Roman much to AJ’s dismay who tried his hardest to restrain himself, he knew the Samoan had a knack for blaming others but that took the cake. “She turned them against me. I don’t care what happens to her, all I want is Zarah and my brothers back. With her around I get neither, so Evolution can do whatever they want to her I don’t care” added Roman shock washing over his features as a sharp pain went through his jaw, he looked up to see AJ had moved in seconds and punched him for the words he had mindlessly spoken, the anger etched across his features as he stood their trying to regain his composure. 

“Well you might want to start caring what happens to her. I don’t care if you blame her for your mistakes, and I don’t care what Evolution want. What I care about is bringing someone I see as family home. The business Evolution want she doesn’t run Finn does. So if you think by killing Paige you get everything you want then your wrong, Seth and Dean wont come back, and you wont get Zarah back either. If Paige doesn’t come home then neither does Zarah” responded AJ his voice going back to normal as he spoke, he soon walked from the room and house in general, he knew he had delivered the message he was supposed to, as well as seeing just how much of a threat Roman was to Paige. Roman on the other hand blinked a few times, AJ’s words still ringing in his ears, he knew there was only one way now, he didn’t care for Finn, his demons, Paige or even his own brothers, just as he didn’t care for Corey, The Wyatt’s or even Evolution, he only cared about Zarah and getting her back. 

“I’ll find you Zarah” whispered Roman, knowing the only way out of his mess and still get to be with Zarah and their child was to find her and go into hiding away from everything they knew and everyone they had called family and friends. They would have to start over, completely disappear so no one could find them. He could imagine life away from the business that had caused them to be separated although it was the thing that brought them together in the first place. He could live without the drama it brought, although he debated whether he could live with not knowing what happened to his brothers in Seth and Dean, he didn’t know if he could live with not knowing if they had lived or died at the hands of Shane and his ever changing line up of minions. 

As night fell, Seth found an out of the way motel of the edge of one of the many cities in the country, he knew eventually they would have to ditch the car and either hitch hike or find a new means of transportation. When he looked to his left a small smile appeared on his lips at seeing Paige in the passenger seat, like normally she was looking at the road ahead of them as they headed to the motel. He knew she missed her family, her little sister and Michelle, after all he had heard her cry herself to sleep every night since they had left Orlando almost a week before hand. He felt for her and knew it was going to be a long and hard journey for her, just as he hoped she would accept he would be there for her every step of the way. He knew how he felt for her, there had been many times over the week or so he had caught himself thinking of what a future after all of it ended would be like. If Paige would accept him as more than her protector and friend or if they would survive the entire thing at all. 

“You wanna talk about it?” asked Seth noticing tears sparkling in her eyes as the street lights lit up the interior of the car. A slight sad but comforting smile slowly appeared on his lips, hoping she would open up and talk to him. At this moment they only had each other to rely on and talk to in their times of need, for comfort or for a friend when they needed one. Paige shook her head in response knowing deep down it would make him worry at little more than he clearly already was. “I know its bothering you, you’ve cried yourself to sleep every night since we had to leave” added Seth revealing he was all to aware how much Paige was bothered by the sudden turn of events, and having to leave her loved ones behind. Paige looked around to him a little surprised to learn he knew of that as she could have swore he was already asleep by the time she tried to get some. “I’m your protector no matter what, plus I’m a light sleeper and I care about you, of course I’m going to notice if something is wrong” finished Seth as they pulled into the motel, he quickly got from the car to get a room just as he had done with all of them, making sure to hide from the camera’s and use cash to pay for the room. He also made sure to use a fake name so they wouldn’t be caught as quick. 

“I miss them” spoke Paige when he returned to the car, driving it a little further into the parking lot and parking the other side to where their room was. “When I was in hiding I was okay because I knew I could go and see them or speak to them if I wanted to but now I can’t do that without running the risk of being caught or pulling them into this. It hurts knowing I could never see them again” continued Paige finally opening up to Seth who only pulled her towards him in a tight embrace. In his own way he knew how it felt, he considered Dean a brother just as much as Punk was one, now both men were on the run with their own wives neither knowing where the others was or if they were okay. He soon lead her to the door of their room, opening the door with haste and ushering her in, he was at least thankful the room had a shower so they could both wash if the wanted to, the only problem he could see was there being only one double bed in the middle of the room. 

“Its okay to miss them Paige, it shows how much you love and care for your family. And if its any consultation I miss Dean, Punk, Renee and AJ every day, I hope every day they haven’t been caught just like I’m thankful they have each other just like I’m thankful I have you” responded Seth revealing he missed the remaining four who had been forced to go on the run. He could see Paige was almost grateful to hear she wasn’t alone in missing loved ones, she soon went to the bathroom with a few of her things to shower since it had been a few days since she had last cleaned herself up. Seth on the other hand pulled out the burner phone he had picked up and called the number he knew belonged to Finn, much like he did a few days ago when they had last stayed somewhere in the middle of god knows where, he didn’t even know where they were if he had to guess then he would say somewhere in Nevada, or maybe on the boards of California. 

“Relax Finn its just me, calling in again to let you know we’re okay” spoke Seth picking up on the concern in the voice of Finn, noting it wasn’t there the last time he had called to let the older Irishman they were okay. “We’re in a motel somewhere in a desert plain it looks like Nevada but I could be mistaken. I’m going to get Paige out the country make it hard for Evolution to find her and Shane to find me” added Seth giving Finn the heads up on what he was planning to do, he heard Finn’s reply to which he smiled, he knew Finn was prepared for anything but wasn’t quite expecting him to say he was going to give him a few locations to go to, one of which appeared to be an airport. “Is everything okay over there with you?” asked Seth noting there was something different with Finn although he couldn’t place his finger on it. As normal Seth listened carefully to the words knowing if Finn was protecting them from something then he would code what he was saying, hence Seth would have to read between the lines. “Okay, speak to you soon” finished Seth before ending the call, worry washing over his features at what he had just been told, it officially wasn’t safe anywhere for them and it appeared the last people they needed as their enemy was now hunting them. 

“Everything okay?” asked Paige being chased out the bathroom by the steam, she was wearing a random t-shirt and jogging trousers, her hair wrapped in a towel so it didn’t get her clothes wet or drip water everywhere. “What’s wrong?” added Paige realising something was wrong by the way he looked at her and his near refusal to answer her first question. She soon walked around the bed to where he stood taking hold of his hand in a gentle manner and leading him to sit on the end of the bed with her. “Tell me” continued Paige almost pleading him to tell her what it was bothering him, she knew it was serious, that much was made obvious by his original expression when he come off the phone, Seth looked over to her and then down at their interlinked hands, a small smile once again gracing his lips mainly from how close they had grown to each other over the last week or so. 

“Evolution and Shane have finally realised we’re not in Orlando, and your dad as well as uncle have realised Finn is the one running Knight’s Raven. He is staying with Corey along with his demons, they’re not going to be chasing after Evolution until they are sure they are after you” responded Seth giving her the bad news first, he could see the concern grow in her eyes at learning the man who had kept her protected for so long was now being hunted by her father and uncle, to be fair she didn’t know how to feel about that, especially when he hadn’t done anything to her but help her find out the truth and accept who she really was, as well as be a friend when she needed one. “He’s given me a few locations, one is where we can find your private jet and reunite with the other four, the other is a mansion in England we can stay at until the coast is clear to come back” continued Seth seeing the look in her eyes when he mentioned a private yet, he could see she had no clue about it. “And Punk knows how to fly so we can leave once all of us are together again” finished Seth revealing his older brother knew how to fly aircraft's so they had a pilot and could leave once the six of them were together again. 

“Okay” replied Paige almost whispering, she was excited about leaving the country for a while and being able to see the four she considered close friends again, but she was also worried about what was to come, if Evolution weren’t being hunted by her dad then they were free to do whatever they liked, where as the only person who had helped her was his target. She worried about what would happen to him, she knew it wouldn’t be too long before both her dad and Uncle Kane turned their attention to Corey as well, which would leave her and all those on the run vulnerable to any attacks that may come. Seth placed a single kiss on her temple before going to shower much like his raven haired room mate had done moments before hand, he knew when he was reunited with Dean and Punk again they would ask a million odd questions, as well as how things were between Paige and himself as they were both aware he liked her and wanted more than to be just friendship with her. He had admitted that to Dean before going their separate ways. When he returned he seen Paige lying on the bed facing the window and door, her raven hair spread out around her and covering her face like a veil separating her from the rest of the world, in her hands was the little key chain he had given her just after they had left Orlando, that alone brought a smile to his lips as he took a seat on the sofa in front of the window 

“There’s plenty of room over here you know” whispered Paige startling Seth a little bit who quickly turned his gaze from the scenery outside the window to her. She smiled for a few seconds before the sleepy look returned to her pale features. “You’ve been on the chair or sofa in every motel room we have stayed in. I promise I don’t bite” added Paige a little louder, she could see a shadow of a smirk appear on Seth’s lips at the words she had spoken, to which he got up from his place near the window and joined her on the bed surprised when she cuddled up close to him although he didn’t mind it too much, he actually found comfort in it. Knowing she trusted him enough to sleep next to him without any hesitation. “Do I make you nervous?” asked Paige noticing his heartbeat had quickened in pace, it was near enough thumbing at his rib cage, Seth just smiled a little to himself knowing the answer to her question was yes, his own body was betraying him in that sense. 

“Kind of” responded Seth rubbing the top of her arm gently, he knew telling her would probably be worse but at this point when their lives were in so much danger he didn’t see the point of hiding the truth from her. “Its been a while since I’ve been this close to someone who has effects on me like you do” continued Seth, watching as Paige lifted her head from his chest and looked up to him, he knew he had her interest there, she was silently asking him what he meant by that to which he planned on answering her question just not in the way she was likely expecting. Without hesitation he leant up and pressed his lips to hers, being generally surprised when she kissed him back. “Dean told me once if I followed my heart I would find what I was looking for, mine lead me to you. With you Paige I feel alive, I feel like I’m free and loved for who I am, so would you give me a chance to be more than your protector?” finished Seth explaining what he had meant and why he had suddenly kissed her with so much passion, she wasn’t just another person he had to protect she was the person his own heart had lead him to. 

“Okay” responded Paige, a small nervous smile of her own coming to her lips where as Seth’s got brighter to learn she was willing to give him the chance he had asked for. He soon pulled her down with him when he laid back down on the bed. His heart no longer thumbing against his rib cage out of nerves but out of excitement and happiness. “So all the times before, was your way of telling me without actually saying anything?” asked Paige to which Seth hummed in response wrapping his arm securely around her waist so no one could take her away during the night. It wasn’t long before the duo were asleep, the noises of cars passing by acting as a small lullaby for them as did the comforting silence which fell over the room. 

Morning came around quickly, Seth woke up earlier worrying silently when he realised Paige wasn’t on the bed or anywhere in the room, his fear was soon brushed away when the motel door opened and Paige walked through with a small bag of things, a smile appearing on her lips when she seen he was awake. A smile appeared on his own lips when he realised she had only gone to get something for breakfast. When she set it out the bed he spotted the key chain was now around her neck hanging on a piece of elastic to form a make shift necklace. He could see the metal circle with the letter P and wings dangling there, he knew she was proud to where it, he had figured that out the night before when he seen she had fallen asleep with it in her hands. 

“Big day ahead of us, the airport where the jet is, is about a half a days drive. With the luck the others will be there waiting for us or get there shortly after” spoke Seth, munching on the tuna sandwiches she had picked up along with a packet of walkers crisps and candy bar, she had picked up bottles of water as well. Paige only nodded the worry for Finn and the others back in Orlando still on her mind, she didn’t want anything bad to happen to them but knew with her dad and uncle hunting them then they wouldn’t stop until they got what they wanted. “They’ll be fine, if Finn could keep you hidden for that long then I’m sure he can hide himself and the others away too. We all know the Wyatt’s don’t need any help with being hidden, they can be in plain sight and not be seen” added Seth giving her comfort, he knew Finn would keep himself and the others safe, as for the Wyatt’s he, Dean and Roman had passed them so many times in the past and didn’t even realise they were the trio with the terrifying reputation. 

“I know, still can’t help but worry. I do that with people I care for. Even you” responded Paige finishing her food before packing the few things she had used the night before and waiting for Seth so they could get going. “I’ll drive, you direct me” spoke Paige as Seth tossed the keys over to her, a smile on his lips as they left the room, Seth running over to the reception and handing the keys over before heading back to the car with a smile and getting in the passenger seat. It wasn’t long before they were back on the open road heading towards the airport. Seth receiving a text on the burner phone from an unknown number, he read it quickly a small smile on his lips to see who it was from. At least he now knew Dean and Renee were okay, the pair were already at the airport having been close by when Finn told them about it. 

“Dean and Renee are already at the airport, they were pretty close when they were told of the jet by Finn. They will meet us there” spoke Seth a small smile appearing to know he could see his best friend again, Paige too smiled upon hearing they were okay. Although she now worried for Punk and AJ since no one had heard from them since they had gone on the run almost a week and a half ago. Only Finn had but that was a quick phone call to say they were okay, they could be anywhere in the country. It wasn’t long before the message tone went off again, this time from Finn who informed them Punk and AJ weren’t going with them due to finding a place to hide away from Orlando they had found somewhere to call home, so he would hire someone to take them to England. “Punk and AJ aren’t coming, they have settled down somewhere and don’t want to leave, just the four of us going to England” added Seth keeping Paige informed. It wasn’t long before she put the radio on, both of them happily listening to music as the travelled to their destination. 

Police are investigating the brutal murders of several people at a local Motel, the area surrounding the motel is known for being rough with crime happening on a daily bases. A police spokesman said the murders were nothing like he had seen before. The four staying in room 15 at Sky Ute Resort in Nevada had been tortured and murdered as had the receptionist. All five being found by guests. So far no one has come forward as a witness and no suspect has been named. Paige and Seth both glanced at the car radio upon hearing the news report, both recognised the name of the motel as the one they had stayed in two night as ago, the same room number as well. Both knew from that point they were definitely being hunted, whomever it was after them wasn’t far behind, a day or so. Seth was now glad he had drove through the night following stopping at the motel, Paige had driven the following day hence why they had been able to get so far ahead. Their trip remained silent following the new report. Neither could say a word when they knew the killers were after them. 

“Seth, Paige” called Dean when he seen both of them, he took hold of Renee’s hand and ran over to them, upon reaching them he let go of Renee’s hand and hugged Seth just happy to see the younger Iowan again, he did the same with Paige, swapping with Renee as he so. “Its good to see you two are okay, we heard the news report and though the worst” spoke Dean just relieved they were okay and had survived to be there and reunite with Renee and himself. “The private jet is this way, the staff here said the pilot Finn hired will be here in about ten minutes” added Dean leading the pair to where the plane was. He was surprised to learn about the plane and wondered why Finn never mentioned it before, although he was glad to hear about it as it was their ticket of leaving the country and escaping those who were hunting them. He knew as Seth did the one responsible for the murders was Shane McMahon and his men, they didn’t know anyone else who could be so brutal to others and make their final moment the most terrifying of their lives. 

Back in Orlando, Stephanie was in her office with Hunter and Roman. Roman had explained his situation choosing to be loyal to Evolution rather than help the two he had once claimed were his brothers regain their freedom. He admitted he didn’t know where Paige would run to, her family were the only ones she had, they were all still in the city. He knew the only people who had the answers to Evolutions questions were also the people who had taken Zarah from him. He didn’t know how he felt about it. Hunter already knew what Roman planned on doing, once he found Zarah he knew Roman was going to run and disappear, making sure his loved ones were safe, he also knew if they were going to catch his two former brothers then they were going to need Roman to try and reunite with them, thrust ending any chance of the Shield returning or Knight’s Raven getting more powerful. 

“He’s going to run” spoke Hunter when he was sure Roman had left the room. “When he gets Zarah he is going to take her and disappear. You know like I do, the only way to make sure Knight’s Raven doesn’t get to be our rival and to end the Shield possibility of a reunion is to get Roman to lead us to them, we could eliminate the remaining two and probably get little miss at the same time” added Hunter knowing if Roman lead them to where they were then they could eliminate two problems at the same time and cement Evolutions position in power. Knight’s Raven was their biggest adversary, since Shield had merged with them, but if Knight’s Raven wasn’t stopped then they could over throw them in terms of power and being the biggest when it come to illegal activity. 

“Roman, return to my office” spoke Stephanie through the intercom speakers that were scattered around the building they were using as their headquarters, unlike the Shield they were using an old office block which they had reinnervated to suit their needs. It wasn’t long before the glum Samoan reappeared in the office not looking any more happy than he was the last time he was in there a few minutes prior. “We need your help with something, in return we will let you and Zarah go when you find her” proudly spoke Stephanie knowing she had gotten Roman’s attention when she said she would let the pair of them go. “Help us to eliminate your brothers in Seth and Dean then you can go free, we will help you start a new if you get us close to Paige as well” added Stephanie offering a deal she knew Roman wouldn’t turn down, he had turned his two brothers over to them before so she doubted he would hesitate to do it again, especially if that meant his and Zarah’s freedom. Stephanie was all to aware he probably knew the numbers to the burner phones both Dean and Seth used. 

Roman thought about the offer for a few minutes, before picking up the phone and entering the number to one of the burner phones, a relieved smile when it began to ring signalling the one he had chosen to ring was currently active. It wasn’t long before he heard the unmistakeable voice of Dean appear on the other end saying Hello in a weary voice like he was unsure of who was on the other end of the phone. Roman knew what he was about to do would cost him his brother’s happiness but he didn’t care as long as he got Zarah back and was able to leave with her living a happy life he knew she wanted so much. 

“Dean its me Roman, where are you?” asked Roman hearing Renee’s voice in the background like she was saying she was going to put something on. He could hear unusual sounds in the background some of them he recognised like music playing, he recognised it more as something Seth would listen to than Dean. “Why?” asked Dean in response the trust between them clearly not there any more which only meant to Roman that Dean knew more than he originally thought. “Me and Zarah are on the run from Evolution, we kind of figured it was safer if we were with someone we could trust. You know safety in numbers” responded Roman hoping he would fall for it and offer their location to him like he would have done without question months ago. He knew a lot had changed since then, just as he knew Seth was yet to forgive him for having the affair with Zarah in the first place. “You mean so you can lead Shane and Evolution to us, and hopefully get Seth and Paige’s locations from us. Since Evolution are no doubt listening to this call, then you call tell them I don’t know where Seth and Paige are, the last time I seen them was at Princess Mansion before you and your new friends forced us to run. Wherever they are I hope they better off and safe” replied Dean before hanging up the phone, knowing the phone couldn’t be tracked and thankful to where he currently was. Roman soon dialled another number knowing it was the one which belonged to Seth, he had a feeling if Dean and Renee were together then Seth and Paige would be too. 

“Seth it’s me Roman. I need your help, me and Zarah are on the run from Evolution, Shane turned on us. Can you help us please?” spoke Roman when Seth picked up, he noticed Seth’s sounded more fuzzy than Dean’s getting the impression they weren’t together, when Roman looked to Hunter and Stephanie he could see the unreadable expression on their features, like they were trying to work out where the youngest member of the Shield was. “Maybe the girls could get to know each other, I’m sure Zarah would be happy to talk to someone else outside of me, especially another woman” added Roman, hoping Seth would say his location. “I’m not with Paige, we went separate ways after an argument a few days ago, I’ve been trying to find her since and I’m in San Diego at the moment. Feel free to come and join me, I could do with the help” replied Seth giving a location and making up the excuse he had parted ways with Paige and was now looking for her. “Alright I will be there in a day or so” responded Roman before hanging up the phone a smile on his lips, he had learnt they were no longer together and one of them was in San Diego. 

“Dean and Renee are together but I don’t know where, from the sounds of it they are in the New York area, where as Seth is on his own after going separate ways from Paige a few days ago, he’s in San Diego so Paige can’t be to far from there” spoke Roman giving them what he knew from the phone call, unaware his attempt to fool them into telling him where they were had backfired. They had given him fake information to thrown them off their trail and given the impression they hadn’t seen each other since going on the run when in fact all four of them were together. Stephanie smiled at Roman and then looked to Hunter believing it was only going to be a matter of time before the four were caught and eliminated thrust solving two problems at the same time. She knew her brother would be interested to find out where they were considering he was currently in Nevada believing he had found two of them there. 

“Shane, you might want to go to New York. I believe you will find Dean Ambrose and Renee Young there, perhaps you will get information from them where Punk and AJ are. Hunter is going with Roman to San Diego to eliminate Seth Rollins and to bring Paige back here” spoke Stephanie to her brother, informing him on the thought to be location of Dean Ambrose, she was surprised to learn her brother had the trail of Seth Rollins, having gotten a tip from Jeff Jarrett who was in the area and seen him entering a motel days before hand. “What do you mean Seth isn’t in San Diego, he just told Roman that’s where he was” responded Stephanie quickly realising she and the rest of Evolution had underestimated those they had deemed as their enemy. Seth had been smart enough to give a random location to thrown them off the trail unaware Shane was actually a day or so behind them. 

“What’s wrong” asked Hunter, since neither he or Roman had left the office. He was rather curious to learn Seth wasn’t in San Diego as he had told Roman, a small smile appearing on his features at realising what the younger man had done and why he was known as the Architect by so many around him. “So if he’s in Nevada then there’s a good chance Dean is as well as Paige is with him right?” spoke Hunter quickly realising there was a high probability the four had met up and were now running together. Although it was anyone’s guess of where they could be going, he doubted they were heading to Canada, they would have taken the quickest route there and would have gotten there already which made him wonder where they were actually going, if they were going anywhere at all. He knew if they were attempting to get to Mexico then they would have gone there when they were passing through Texas.


	10. Chapter 10 - Princess Armoury

It had been a few weeks since the Brothers of Destruction had turned their attention to Finn and his demons, the group had disappeared from anyone who was hunting along with Corey who was helping Finn as best he could to bring those on the run home, he knew Paige missed being with her family and friends just as he knew the only way for her to come home safely was to bring down Evolution, after all they were the biggest threat to her and the reason why she had to go in the first place. Both Corey and Finn knew they couldn’t do anything without being seen so had once again sent the Wyatt’s to do their bidding with the hopes they would be able to come out of hiding and return to their important task. 

“Are Punk and AJ safe?” asked Finn knowing Corey had been keeping a close eye on the pair, hacking into security cameras around the area they had decided to settle in. He had also been around there when The Brothers of Destruction had almost caught him, they had shouted his name out thrust giving him the advantage to get away and hide somewhere until they had gone to which he had returned to Florida and joined Finn in the underground hideouts the demon had. “I get a call from the four in England every three to four days, to let me know how things are doing” added the Irishman, knowing he was due for another call from them in the next day or so, it rotated on who called him, when they first got to England Dean had called him, Renee had after that and then Seth had so he was expecting a call from Paige this time, he had to admit it would be nice to hear her voice again. 

“Yeah they have their own mansion there and set up a tattoo and piercing studio so they have something to work with and keep them off the grid. Especially considering its in a place none one would think to look for a mansion” responded Corey revealing he had noticed their mansion was in plain sight yet hidden from those who didn’t know it was there, to anyone else it was just another office building. Yet it hid them away and they could see their enemies coming they had everything they needed to keep themselves hidden away for as long as they needed to. “They wanted to settle down for a while, going on the run gave them a chance to find somewhere. Their not going to return to the illegal business. Their hoping now Seth has Paige he will walk away from it to” continued Corey revealing the duo had no intention of returning to their previous employment,, they wanted to do things the right way now no matter if they had to create an entire new life style for themselves. 

“All we can do is help all six of them when they need it. And support Paige in whatever she decides to do with Knight’s Raven. If she does anything with it at all” spoke Finn, he knew although he run the company the decisions on the direction of it and the overall fate was up to Paige. He had kept it going for her in the hopes of one day finding her and giving what was rightful hers back to her. Yet he had also gotten a friend and had to help her find who she really was and discover the secrets her father had hidden from her. He could remember his own father saying Saraya would be proud of the woman her young daughter had grown into, as she had become a brave and rather selfless woman. He had a feeling if Saraya had lived then she would have made sure Paige knew the truth and who she really was rather than what actually happened. “How’s Zarah doing?” asked Finn knowing the poor woman would be near enough three months along now, he knew although she wasn’t where she wanted to be that she was likely to be well looked after. 

“She’s doing good, she’s in Pittsburgh, Dr Slater goes to her for every appointment and makes sure everything is normal with the pregnancy, she also has Alexa, Sonya, Becky and Bayley there with her for girl company. I sent Kevin, Sami, Braun and Sheamus there the other day so she has protection around the house, groceries are delivered there weekly and she has as a place twice the size to what she’s used to” replied Corey revealing although she was technically his captive he was treating her well and making sure she had everything from someone to talk to, to a doctor visiting her for check up appointments. “Dr Slater has also been arranging everything for her due date in case she’s still with us” added Corey revealing everything was under control and they had considered everything she would be needing in the coming months. Finn could only smile at that, they maybe considered Roman’s enemy but that didn’t mean they were going to treat her horribly, instead they had done the opposite and made sure she was as comfortable as she could be while stuck with them, he was also aware Corey had informed her of what Roman’s task was so she wasn’t in the dark about anything. Both men knew she would trust them more if they didn’t keep secrets from her. 

In England, Paige and Renee were currently exploring the mansion they had found the garden had different areas to it, like the rose garden which went on to a little hedge maze, there was a tranquil seating area there as well as outdoor swimming pool complete with a waterfall feature which hid a little cave area. At this moment they were in the house, making sure to check behind every bookshelf and bang on the wall to see if apart was more hollow than the rest, the pair were basically looking for secret rooms like with Princess Mansion. Finn of course had given them the pass codes and other things they would need as well as informed them the mansion had the same security as princess mansion with the added bonus of a safety bunker in the basement in case anything happened and they needed to hide.

“I think you might want to give Paige this” spoke Dean when he entered the security hub where Seth was currently. Both men watched over each of the screens stationed at the end of every hallway, the bottom of each staircase and outside every room, in the case of of the kitchen, games room and living rooms as well as the actually security hub itself and the home cinema there were camera’s in there as well. Seth turned around to face Dean, seeing him holding on to an envelope, it was slightly discoloured and written in a neat yet stylish way, like the person who had written it had taken great care to do it. “I took a picture of it and sent it to Finn. He said the writing belongs to Paige’s mum. Might want to give it to her.” added Dean explaining he had been curious about the hand writing to asked Finn about it to which he got the response of Saraya Knight, Paige’s mum. 

“I will give it to her when she comes back to the main area. She and Renee are exploring at the moment. It’s been pretty amusing watch them look behind every bookcase and bang on the walls as they go down the halls” responded Seth, a smile on his lips and watching the pair. He soon pointed to the screen when he seen them appear on a different camera Renee looking behind the bookcase with curiosity where as Paige went down the wall tapping it when her head was against it, almost like she was listening to the slight difference there. Dean too smiled upon seeing how the pair of them acted as they went, he even watched as his wife moved the tall vases slightly, almost like she hoped they would reveal a secret door or a little button on the floor to something. “Looks like Paige found something” added Seth when he seen Paige open a picture to reveal a door behind it, she looked surprised to say the least, the door hand a finger print recognition and a key pad for a code of some sort. He knew they were on the same floor as Dean and himself so he was just as curious to know what was behind the door. 

“Shall we join them?” asked Dean watching as Seth picked up the tab with all the security footage on and nodded following the older Ohio native out of the hub and down the hall that lead to where the girls were. Both men looking at the tab to see if the girls had moved or to see how far away they were from them. “So how’s Paige doing now, since the little run in with Jarrett’s guys over here?” added Dean knowing both he and Renee had avoided being hit by the almost mad man shooting at them, Seth had realised too late although he had pulled Paige to safety he hadn’t been quick enough to prevent her from being hit. Their first destination was the hospital to get the bullet removed from Paige’s right shoulder, it would be an understatement to say she wasn’t a happy bunny although none of them had told Finn about the incident due to it only having minor injuries and a slight scare. 

“Other than not liking the sling she’s doing good, doesn’t stay still for very long so its a bugger to try and get her to rest” responded Seth remembering when he had to chase her over the house so he could get her to rest, she wasn’t the happiest bunny at being told she could do things for herself for a little while. He could also recall how the two had grown closer since being there, he could always feel his heartbeat quicken upon seeing her or just being near to her, there was just something about her that pulled him to her like opposite ends of a magnet. “How did you know Renee was the one?” asked Seth seeing the way Dean looked at him, with the curiosity and knowing look. Almost as if he could read Seth’s mind and know why he was asking in the first place. He had seen Seth as he come to terms with everything that happened and how he had been getting closer to the raven haired beauty. 

“I couldn’t imagine my life without her, every thing I did wasn’t about me any more it was about keeping Renee as safe as possible, was about our future together. Everything didn’t seem as bad when she’s around, my day just seems brighter like nothing could destroy my happiness when I’m around her” responded Dean remembering how he felt when he was around her, even now he couldn’t imagine a life worth living without her around him, her voice reminded him every day the life he had wasn’t just a dream, just as her smile reminded him how much he loved her and would do whatever it took to help her when she needed it the most. He could see Seth may have finally found that someone for himself. It brought a soft smile to his lips to see his best friend go through the same things he had done with Renee years prior. “You think Paige is the one for you?” asked Dean seeing Seth nod to his question, a contented look on his features. 

“Everything I have done, everything all of us did in the past lead us here. It lead me to her. You said once I would find what I’m looking for if I follow my heart. Well its lead me to Paige. Every time I see her I forget all the hurt, all the hate and anger. All I want is to see her smile, to see her happy. Whenever I see her smile I just can’t help but smile too, its almost like gravity isn’t holding me down to earth any more, she is” replied Seth being honest with what he was feeling, he felt as if Paige was his reason for going to Orlando, she was the reason he had agreed with Dean in the first place. She mended his broken heart in a kind and gentle way, even now she was like a dark angel to him even when she didn’t realise it. Those days travelling together, made him realise just how much he had fallen for her, just as he realised no matter what he would always try and find his way back to her. He loved her, to him that was all that mattered even if in the end it would cost them more than they originally bargained for. 

“What took you two so long?” asked Renee, her Canadian accent coming through slightly, as she looked at the two with a curious look. “Me and Paige seen the two of you at the top of the hall five minutes ago. It was almost like you two were avoiding boogie traps or acting like a pair of spies” added Renee, remembering when Seth had been her protector once when Dean had been assigned to do something, he moved around so quietly, she had forgotten he was there, so when he did make a noise she jumped at the sudden reminder she wasn’t alone. Paige just looked between the two men and then back to the door wondering what was behind it. “We figured we would wait for you two to join us before investigating what’s behind the creepy locked door hidden behind the picture” added Renee watching as Seth tapped Paige gently and handed over the discoloured envelope he had hold off. Paige took it with a smile, before turning it over and carefully opening it, noticing Renee and Dean had turned their attention back to the door where as Seth stood by her side. 

Dear Paige, 

If you are reading this my dear sweet princess, then I am no longer with you. Whether that being me no longer being part of this world or from your father taking you away from me and the world you were born into. Just know no matter what I love you more than anything and everything I have done is for you and to make sure you as my only child had the life you deserved along with the happiness every child should have. 

If it is the case that your father has taken you away from me, just know I am out there looking for you and I will never stop until I find you again. I know he would never speak of me, nor would he allow me to see you until you are old enough to make your own decisions. He believes I am too dangerous for you to be around and that I am not fit to be your mother despite everything I do being for you, I hope one day I am blessed with being able to see you again, and I can finally tell you everything in person. Just as I can get to know you again. 

If it be where I am no longer part of the world, then know I love you no matter what and I always will. You should also know that would also make you the last of the Knight family, you would inherit everything upon my death, the family fortune, estates and the family business Knight’s Raven. If you’re under the age of eighteen then it will go to a friend of mine until you come of age in which case it will be transferred to you but only if you wish it to be. With the estate you would inherit the mansion I had built for you which would have been your twenty first birthday present, the vast range of cars, as well as the other properties around Europe and in America. 

If I don’t see you again, then please find the happiness you deserve, as well as the love of someone who cares about you rather than your estates and fortune. Just know no matter what, I love you and I’m proud to have you as my daughter. You are so much more than you realise and I hope you find who you really are some day, you are my princess. I hope you will take your rightful place as the leader of Knight’s Raven and show just how fearless you are. In this envelope will also be my will, so you can read exactly what it is you own and so you can find out who you really are. 

I love you my little girl, 

Your Mother   
Saraya Knight

Paige read over the letter with tears in her eyes, not sure if she could ever go back to how she was before. Since the attack that left her hospitalised all those years ago everything had changed, plus the formal evening months prior had shown her just how much she was kept in the dark, just how much had been hidden away from her. Her own father had given her the impression her mother had abandoned her when in fact she was a victim of a sniper attack when she was a toddler, he had hidden her true heritage from her and tried to destroy something her mother had left for her. She didn’t know how she could go home and act like she still knew her father and uncle, when she didn’t even recognise them any more just as she knew they wouldn’t recognise her either. 

“You okay?” asked Seth placing his left hand on her right shoulder, seeing her nod slightly and wipe the tears from her eyes. He knew whatever was written in the letter had either made her realise something or informed her off something she didn’t know of before. “I think they need your finger print to get through the door” added Seth, pulling her into a tight embrace and kissing her on the temple before letting her go. The three of them watched as Paige put her thumb on the scanner, making sure to type the four digit code into the panel, she stood back when she heard the loud clunk when the locks began to move. The door soon opened and the lights inside soon flickered on. 

“Is this a dream?” asked Paige upon entering the room, looking around to see shelves of jewellery, even some of the pure stones. Renee followed her inside seeing everything that was in there, there was sets of jewellery to just simple yet elegant pieces. Something she knew most woman could only dream of owning, there was even a few tiaras place around the room. There was also a door on the far end of the room, similar to the one to enter the room in the first place. Paige once again put the code in noticing this time the key pad was finger print recognition rather than having a separate part. She soon entered the room, shock once again taking over her at what she seen. “Seth, Dean I think this room is for you” loudly spoke Paige although she quickly figured out she didn’t need to since her voice echoed around the room, a normal voice shouted like someone was shouting so her raised voice sounded so much louder than she intended it to. She could now understand why this particular mansion was called The Princess Armoury. It wasn’t long before both men entered the room, both of them stopping in shock to see what was there. 

“Well this beats the armoury we had” spoke Seth looking around at the vast amount of weapons, the different guns being locked behind glass doors, bows and arrows only the best archer could dream of owning, knives and other hand held weapons displayed in cabinets, each draw they opened revealed more weapons as well as ammo for the guns. Dean looked rather happy to be in the room, seeing that although long dead Paige’s mother had thought of everything for her little girl, everything to make sure she was happy, comfortable and safe. “Kind of see why your mum called this place Princess Armoury, she left you the best of everything” added Seth remembering when they had found the garage a few days prior, each car had been fitted out so they were bullet proof, hell the windows of the house were also bullet proof to the point. Both he and Dean had figured this was the mansion she was supposed to receive on her twenty-first birthday. 

Back in Orlando, the members of Evolution were currently working to find those they were looking for, Roman had agreed if they find them then he would help them get close enough to finish the job on the condition they help him find Zarah and start over with her. He would do anything to be with her again, even end any possibility of forgiveness from his brothers or even reuniting with them again. To him she was worth any price he had to pay. At this moment in time the Samoan was sat in a meeting room with Stephanie, Hunter, Shane, Batista and Ric Flair. Ric had been helping them since they come to the city and made sure they were off the radar when it come to the Brothers of Destruction although he would admit he didn’t know how much longer that was going to last since they were pretty determined. 

“Neither Mark or Kane know where the six your looking for disappeared to. They want to know just as much as you do” spoke Ric revealing neither one of the brothers knew where Paige was, or where the five who had gone on the run almost three months prior had gone to. He also knew it would only be a matter of time before the pair turned their attention back to Evolution, although he didn’t know what frame of mind they would be in when they do. “If they can’t find Finn or the others they’re looking for then their going to return their attention back to Evolution. I don’t think I can keep both of them off your trail” added the much older man, making it known he had been able to put either one off the trail but never both of them at the same time, he knew that was a task he couldn’t handle alone just as he knew Evolution wouldn’t last too long if the pair did turn their attention to them. 

“They disappeared from our radar near enough three months ago, the last place anyone seen Corey was in Chicago, we suspected they might be hiding out there but nothing has been found” responded Stephanie, she knew there had to be something in the city, just as she knew the odds of the six staying together being pretty low due to the threat that is still against them being high, she knew they were smart enough to know Shane was still hunting two of them where as she herself and Hunter were after the rest of them. “We know there is a high probability they have split up, I have a team search through Illinois, Ohio, Canada and Iowa at the moment, we figured if they are anywhere it would be in one of those four places. They have no way of leaving the country without one of us picking up their passport activity, so they have to be here somewhere” added Stephanie guessing they were still in country despite they had dropped off the radar months ago, Shane hadn’t found theme again just as neither of Jarrett’s goons at spotted any of them. 

“This was delivered earlier today” spoke Shane holding up a brown envelope, none of them recognised the hand writing on it, but they had noticed it come from Orlando so whomever had sent it was in the area. “When I opened it there was a letter addressed to all of us, along with a mobile phone and a laptop. The laptop had Roman’s name written on it, in a different hand writing to that of the envelope and letter” added Shane revealing the package probably come from somewhere else before being sent to them, he knew the handwriting on the laptop belonged to one of two people. He knew it was either Corey or Finn who had sent the laptop, as for the letter and phone he didn’t recognise the writing, although he could guess who it was from. If it was from the person he believed he knew there was chance she was already aware of what they were planning. Hunter took the letter and read over it, a small smile coming to his lips at seeing what it said, as well as a little concern on what it was the writer knew. 

“Evolution, I know you have been looking for me for a while, although I was unaware of it up until recently. Up until last week I wasn’t the one who ran Knight’s Raven, that would be my good friend in Finn, but I am the one running it now. I write this letter to inform you I will not give you what you demand neither will I answer to either of you. If you wanted me to hand over Knight’s Raven then you shouldn’t have teamed with Jeff Jarrett’s goons to gain control, or try and kill me. As of now I will do everything in power to make sure people know who you are. Starting right now, as soon as the package was opened, all files would have been downloaded and released on the internet, including the real names of every employee and all illegal activity been sent straight to the police department. You wanted a war Stephanie McMahon then you have one, I have no intention of backing down or giving in. So you can try and use Sheriff Ric Flair but I doubt he will be any use to you now, the same with Roman since he has more to lose than the rest of you. Upon my return to America I will send information on a place and time to meet, as well as who should be there. Until then good luck with the Brothers of Destruction. Paige” read Hunter not sure what to make of the letter he had read or about what she had done. She had used their own tactics against them, suggesting she had been watching for a while, and knew they were after her long before they came to Orlando. 

“Open the laptop” demanded Batista, looking over to Roman who held the laptop in his hands. The taller Samoan nodded before putting the black portable device on the table and opening it up. He was surprised to see several different footage from what appeared to be different places. He soon hooked the laptop up to the projector allowing everyone to see what was on the laptop screen. Shane looked over it with confusion not understanding why they were giving them the footage at hand, or what the game plan of the girl his sister was targetting was. “What hell is she up to? Why would any one give their enemy footage of different places?” asked Batista confused on what she had in mind, he knew never to underestimate an enemy to which he wasn’t going to start now but he was certainly confused with what she was up. 

“Zarah?” spoke Roman, recognising the dark haired woman in one of the video feeds. He could see her there, she looked well looked after and near enough the opposite of what he was expecting to see when he saw her again. “Roman” responded Zarah revealing she had heard him. “I’m okay Roman, they are keeping me in a house somewhere, its not in Florida. They also told me the task you were given in order to get me back. Please don’t do anything stupid” added Zarah confirming to her lover she was okay and also knew of the task he had been given, she wanted to see him again but not if it meant more danger than they were already in. if she had to stay with her captors for a while longer then so be it. “Do whatever it takes but don’t do anything that results in more danger” added Zarah before the feed went off, Roman looked up at those around him seeing they were just as surprised as he was to learn whomever had sent the laptop had allowed them to speak with the ones it showed through the live feed. 

“Hey Evolution” came a voice through the speaker system. The screen soon brought one of the small boxes full screen, the screen showing Seth, Dean, Paige and Renee all stood together small smiles on their lips as they looked at the camera. Paige being cheeky and waving. “You can now see everything we are doing, well most things and you can see everything Roman would lose. Each time we get something valuable to one of you there it will come up on the screen. So Paige is valuable to all of you. Just as me and Seth are to Shane. The laptop is controlled by a few associates of ours. Anyway enough of that. This is just a recording and you lot are about to be busted in five minutes by the Brothers of Destruction. Oh and Ric there’s a message from your daughter Charlotte on here too. See you soon” spoke Dean, their plan finally coming together at last. Ric Flair looked at Roman knowing he knew his way around a computer better than anyone. 

“Hey daddy, you asked me once if I would join Evolution and I replied no. well that’s because I have been working with AJ Styles for a few years, as well as with Becky, Bayley and Sasha. Neither of us have any intention of turning on our employers when Evolution have made our lives worse. I love you daddy but I wont follow in your footsteps. Goodbye dad” spoke the recording of Charlotte, her blond hair up in a ponytail, the sparkles of her make up on the side of her face suggested the message was recorded months ago. Ric only looked at the picture of his daughter smiling at him, wondering how he had missed she was one of Finn’s Demons, wondering how he had missed his daughter was eventually going to turn against him, after all she had expressed her hatred for the company he worked for on several occasions, especially when she worked out he wasn’t working late nights at the police station as he had told her and all loved ones. 

It wasn’t long before there was banging on the main doors, when Stephanie brought up the camera’s she wasn’t surprised to see the Brothers of Destruction there were an army of swot personnel surrounding them. She also knew the odds of all of them getting out of the building undetected was very slim. It wasn’t long before they through the main entrance. Hunter soon gave the signal for each of them to move to the far entrance and hope they hadn’t gotten to that area as well. He hoped their disguise on the door had worked, Hunter was all to aware if it hadn’t then it could end in a shoot out with everyone of them being screwed and Paige winning.


	11. Chapter 11 - Returned

Upon their return to England, Paige did as promised and sent a place and time for the members of Evolution to meet her, as well as which members she wanted to be there. She knew she had the one up on them just as she knew her father would no longer recognise who she is. She had changed so much since she had gone on the run, in her own personal opinion she had changed for the better but she was willing to bet he would tell her the opposite. She was beginning to take after her mother a lot more now, she understood everything that was hidden from her. Although she had still yet to work out why they had hidden it from her for so long, she had no intention of asking at the moment either, knowing she had to deal with her own problems and help those who had been loyal to her in the past despite her not knowing the truth. 

At this moment in time Paige was stood in a little park in the middle of an open field, Dean, Seth, Finn and Corey with her. They were waiting for the members of Evolution to arrive, she knew this was going to be the first time all but Roman had actually seen her in person, just as she knew this was going to be the first time most members of Evolution would be coming across both Finn and Corey as both had remained in the shadows most of the time. It wasn’t long before the silhouettes of several people come into view, they could tell at least one of them was female with the rest being male. It was time for them to meet face to face and either settle this once and for all or to make it clear how things were going to go. Each of them new Stephanie and Evolution had some power over Roman although they weren’t sure what it was, had they promised him something or was he just blindly following them for no good reason. 

“We’re here as you requested and yes we come alone” spoke Cena, he was the final member they had chosen since Paige had only mentioned four names but said five people could be there, so they had chosen one of their most loyal member, one they knew they could trust and had never once thought about leaving them for the opposition no matter what they were offering. Cena was the one who knew all their secrets all their plans and where every one of their bases were as well as were all their victims lay. Cena could see the distrust in the eyes of each of them stood in front of him, especially Paige who looked to the others around her, she knew they weren’t to be trusted after all they had sent out an assassination order years ago when she was only a teen, and had actively been trying to eliminate her ever since. “What do you want?” asked Cena knowing there had to be a reason why she had specifically request four of the five standing in front of her. 

“To see my enemy. The ones who have activity hunted me for the last six years and the one who turned on me for no reason” responded Paige, politely answering his question and making it clear she knew they were her enemy, although when it come to certain things she did have the upper hand against them, like with Seth and Dean being at her side as well as the Demon King himself and The Saviour of Misbehaviour. She also knew she had the slight advantage when it come to the Brothers of Destruction, she was related to them by blood after all. “Now you know who you are hunting, what I actually look like. I only have one thing to ask all of you” added Paige knowing her question was a simple one yet would probably stump all of them. She could probably guess what their own actions had caused. “Why?” asked Paige asking them her simple one worded question. 

“You see Paige here, she wouldn’t have gotten involved in any of this if it wasn’t for you ordering her assassination six years ago. I wouldn’t have found her just as Corey would have never given me her whereabouts. Neither Seth or Dean would have turned to Paige when they left Shield behind. The Brothers of Destruction wouldn’t have found out about you and Paige wouldn’t have been any the wiser on who you were” responded Finn, seeing the realisation appear on their features as it hit them everything that had happened concerning Paige was because of their own reckless decision. “I would have found Paige but she wouldn’t have been any the wiser I was there, just as Zarah would still be with Roman right now had he not turned against her and helped you” added Finn revealing he would have found the raven haired princess eventually but he would have stayed hidden, making sure she was protected. He had only revealed himself to her then because he had realised too later about the impending attempt on her life. 

“Wait, so you caused all of this” spoke Roman turning his attention to Cena, Stephanie, Hunter and Shane. He knew his path into the underworld had started years ago, when he worked with Dean and Seth for Shane. Yet he never expected it to be the fault of those he had helped for the reason he had lost near enough everything. “You tried to kill an innocent teenager and in doing so you created this. I’ve lost everything I cared about because of you” added Roman his voice rising as his anger got the better of him, Dean and Zarah had both left because of Evolution mistakes, he knew Seth had chosen to leave because of the betrayal, something he wouldn’t take back even if he could. Roman merely looked at everyone there before walking away from each of them, he knew now if he was going to get what he wanted the most then he was either going to have to choose a side or do it by himself. He was at least thankful he could talk to Zarah now, although he still had no idea where she was. 

“So this was your plan, to get my sister to lose one of her own?” asked Shane, standing the opposite side of Stephanie to where Hunter was. He was curious what the young woman before him was up to. He had never really been interested in her or even knew who she was until the two he had been looking for, for years joined her. He knew whatever she was up to wasn’t going to be good for any of those who were out to hurt her or something she cared for. Paige merely shook her head to his question, spotting the gun both he and Cena had on their personnel, she quickly informed both Seth and Dean through signals that she knew only the people she trusted most would understand. Finn too must have realised what she was informing the two former members of Shield of, especially when Corey put his hands behind his back almost like he was expecting to get arrested. 

“Actually we wanted you to be here. Like Paige we wanted to look the person hunting us in the eye. We know you wont give up until we’re dead, just as we know you would do that by any means necessary. So we came to one look you in the eye and two to tell you, no matter what we will be the last ones standing, there’s nothing you can do that someone hasn’t already done in the past” responded Dean revealing it was Seth and Himself who had asked for Shane to be there, they wanted to do as Paige had done, they wanted to look at their enemy and tell him they weren’t going to give in to what he wanted and they were going to fight. He soon smiled when he seen a team of black clad police officers surrounding him, he could also tell they had caught Roman which meant they had been there for a while no doubt waiting for the right time to strike. “Times up” added Dean putting his hand up in the air like Finn, Seth and Corey did, he was a little surprised when Paige didn’t. 

“Your under arrest” shouted a Kane, stopping in surprise for a few seconds upon realising Paige was one of them there, thrust confirming she was indeed back in the country, he knew his older brother had yet to believe it due to not hearing anything from her. It wasn’t long before Kane went back into work mode making sure each of the remaining nine people stood before him was handcuffed, he personally did Paige’s one at least relieved to see she was still alive although he could sense there was something different about her. He also made sure to keep the two groups apart, he knew the members of Evolution would do whatever it took to get free and to finish what they had started. In this case kill those who had stood opposite them. “Paige” spoke Kane putting her in the back of the car he was driving not sure how she fit into any of this. He knew she had changed over the three months she was on the run although he couldn’t put his finger on what it was he hoped her father would. 

“Should I call you officer or uncle?” asked Paige looking out the window as the car began to move, she could tell the officer next to Kane and the one driving was surprised to learn that little bit of information, he had clearly thought she either hadn’t returned yet or was the good girl who was the none the wiser still. “I get I’m under arrest although I have no idea what for, all I have done is help you and dad get hold of Evolution, and give you the information on your double agent. Besides that the only other thing I have done is refused to speak to either of you” added Paige revealing she knew there was nothing either of them could keep her for, considering she hadn’t actually done anything to break the law. Yet. She had only refused to speak to her father and uncle although she was responsible for all the information they had received that had helped catch their mole with in the department. It wasn’t too long before they arrived at the police station, to Paige’s surprise her uncle hugged her upon helping her from the vehicle. Showing his family man side rather than the police officer side. 

“We were worried about you Paige. The last time any of us heard from you was three months ago when you told us you were forced to run. We didn’t know what happened or where you were. If anything we thought the worst had happened. You are our family and one of the more important people to your father. You’re all he has left of your mother” spoke Kane in response to what she had asked during the short car ride to the station, he could see something he had said sparked something with in his niece, the way she looked away from him gave it away. It wasn’t long before he lead her into the station, noticing the others being lead just behind he was actually surprised to see how calm the four who were with Paige were considering everything that was surrounding them in terms of illegal activity. He honestly thought they would act more like Roman had, struggling against them and shouting they hadn’t done anything. 

“Paige” whispered Mark upon seeing his oldest daughter being lead through the station in handcuffs by his brother. He knew that meant she was at the place they had been informed was the place they would find the four main players for Evolution. Although he was trying to work out why she was there in the first place. “I will interview this one” spoke Mark to the new sheriff, he watched as the slightly older man nodded before he lead her to an interrogation room, making sure she was in there and knew how serious this was before going back to make sure everything she had on her was properly logged. He was surprised to see a neatly folded piece of paper with Saraya’s hand writing on it. He knew that only meant one thing. She knew something he never wanted her to know. “What were you thinking?” asked Mark upon entering the room, going into father mode rather than expert detective. 

“I could ask you the same question dad. Did you really think I wouldn’t find out the truth eventually? Did you really think I wouldn’t get curious to know who she was or who I really am?” responded Paige, knowing he was all to aware she knew who her mother truly was, thrust there was a high possibility she would know all the things he had wished she never found out, well most of them, he couldn’t bring himself to tell anyone of his darkest secrets especially his own daughter he knew it would destroy her and the faith she once had in him, she would never look at him the same way again if she found out what he had done all those years ago. “Did you think I would stay in the dark about the things your tried to hide dad?” asked Paige knowing all to well this wasn’t Detective Mark Calaway she was in the room with, this was her father the one who kept things from her and said it was for her own good when all it had done was put her in more danger than she was before. 

“I did it for a reason Paige. I did it so you wouldn’t end up making the same mistakes as I did, or the same ones your uncle Kane and mother did. It was the only way to protect you from those who would see you as their enemy. You were two when she died and left everything to you, including a company and life that would have sent you to an early grave, I took you away and disappeared to protect you and give you a life any child should have” responded Mark, he too could see the girl sat in handcuffs before him wasn’t the same daughter that left him three months ago, she had changed so much, she knew most of the things he tried to keep her from finding out and in doing so he had turned her love and trust into distrust and uncertainty, the two thing he never wanted to see from either of his girls. He could see he was losing her, something he never intended to do. 

“Let Seth, Dean, Corey and Finn go they haven’t done anything. Seth and Dean have been with me in England where as Corey has been watching over the others who stayed here in America and Finn has been the one who sent the information to you to catch Evolution. Plus they are the only reason I’m sat here in front of you right now” replied Paige revealing the four with her and done nothing but protect her and follow her orders, they had given her the safety and protection she needed as well as friends she could trust and someone she could love. “Might as well let Roman go as well, the only thing he did was give Evolution the location of Princess Mansion, he paid the price for that” added Paige giving information that would secure the release of those who she knew to be innocent, even if she herself was going to be there for a while. 

“And you haven’t done anything either, considering this is your work is it not” added Mark unlocking the handcuffs and showing the coding on the laptop that had downloaded all of Evolutions digital documents and sent it to the police station. Paige could only nod to his question, she knew he would know it was her who sent the information. “Why did you do it Paige? what did you get out of doing any of this?” asked Mark curious to know why his oldest daughter had sent the information she had gathered to the police as she had done when she could have kept it and used it against Evolution as a form of blackmail, she knew most of their secrets from the little trick she had pulled against them. He could see she had changed in those months she had been away, he could see she wasn’t the scared child any more that being what scared him the most. 

“Consider it my way of helping you and my way of telling you I know the truth on everything you tried to hide from me” responded Paige answering his question before sliding the letter written in her mothers handwriting across the table to him, she knew he would recognise the hand writing just as she could see he was surprised to see her mother had actually written something to her or left a paper trail of sorts. “As for your question of what I get out of it, I got the truth and to find out who I really am, I don’t care about the danger at least this way I can be around people who wont hide things from me” added Paige before walking from the room, she knew she was free to go the moment her father had unlocked the handcuffs she had on. It was only two or three minutes after Paige left did Kane enter the room to see his older brother staring at the piece of paper Paige and given to him before leaving. 

“Its from Saraya, she wrote a letter to Paige when she found out I was going to take her away from everything she knew” spoke Mark revealing his former lover and mother of his oldest daughter had worked out he was going to take their daughter away from her, so she had written a letter intending for her to know the truth and hopefully become the person she was practically born to be. It was now more than ever did Mark hope his oldest daughter didn’t find out his darkest secret, he could already tell their relationship had been strained by the things he had hidden from her, he knew it would be completely broken if she found out what he considered his biggest regret. He also knew there was a chance his own brother in Kane would turn his back on him if he found out, especially since this was the one thing he never shared with Kane. 

“So its true, she’s running Knight’s Raven now?” asked Kane knowing if she had that letter then there was a high probability that she had taken over the business that was rightfully hers. He also knew if she had then she would likely be the safest person to own an illegal business due to both Kane and Mark’s hesitation to do anything. They were family after all, they would be going against their own family saying if they did anything. “Family above all” spoke Kane knowing that would be the only thing holding the pair of them back, plus the fatherly love Mark would always hold for his oldest daughter. Despite his difference with Saraya they had a daughter together, they both wanted what was best for her, although it now appeared Saraya had gotten what she had hoped for, considering Paige had come out of hiding to reveal herself as the person running the company although none of them had actually broken any laws yet. 

“I’m losing her” spoke Mark, breathing deeply at the thought of the little girl he had raised as a single father being gone forever. “Everything I hid from her, everything I tried to protect her from is coming to light. The more she learns the more I lose her” added Mark a few tears coming to his eyes at the possible future of his raven haired princess. He knew there was three possible outcomes for her now, one prison, two being in an early grave or three she would get everything she wanted and live happily. Although he doubted the last one due to all being involved with that particular world being sent behind bars or being six feet under before their time. He had a feeling with Paige it would be the second option, there were so many out there who wanted what she had and would kill to get it. She had more enemies that she realised, she hadn’t just inherited the company her mother owned but the enemies of both himself and Saraya as well. 

“She’ll come back. At the moment she is trying to figure out who she is and who she can trust. Plus she still cares considering she is probably staying away to protect Kaia. You know how much she loves her little sister. Once she had figured everything out she will come home or at least stay in contact with everyone” responded Kane keeping a positive outlook on everything that was happening, after all his older brother was no doubt thinking the worst although he could see some reason behind it, he couldn’t understand what more there was for his niece to learn, everything the pair had hidden she now knew and no doubt come to terms with everything she had suddenly been thrown in the middle of and learnt about herself and them. 

“She doesn’t know everything. Not even you know of what I fear now. If she learns this then she will never come home, she’ll never trust me again, she will end up hating me more than she already does” replied Mark revealing there was something she didn’t know, that nobody but him and the person he had hired to do the job knew, although he knew that person had taken the secret to the grave with them, thrust leaving him as the last person who knew the truth about a certain event that occurred over twenty years before. “If she find out then I would truly lose her as would the rest of us, she wont listen to me or anything I would have to say” added Mark informing his little brother if Paige did happen to learn this final secret she wouldn’t come home again instead there was a high possibility she would go out in the world on her own breaking all contact with each of them, including Kaia. He knew there was a high probability of them never seeing her again letting alone having any contact, plus he was sure all those who called him family would have their trust in him shaken and tested. 

Elsewhere just down the street from the Police Station, Paige stood with those she had originally gone to the field with, a small smile on her lips to see they had all been released. Seth practically running to her, wrapping her in a tight embrace and spinning her in circles as he did so. Dean, Corey and Finn all watched on with content smiles especially when they heard Paige’s laughter. Roman however looked on a slight feeling of envy and emptiness there, he could only dream about doing that with Zarah, yet still she was lost to him the only way he could see and talk to her was through the laptop he was given a few weeks back. He was soon brought from his trail of thought when he heard someone clear their throat, to which he shook his head slightly and was met with both Dean and Seth looking at him both with unreadable expressions painted on their features. 

“Care to explain?” asked Seth, keeping his voice even and masking any emotions that was flowing through him at that moment. Dean however wasn’t doing a good job considering he was bouncing on the spot, balling and unballing his fists like he was attempting to keep his anger under control. “Why did you turned on us like that? Why did you tell Shane our real names? Why would you give them the location of Princess Mansion?” asked Seth, he knew the odds of Roman actually answering him or giving any sort of a reasonable answer were pretty low, the man had a way of dodging responsibility yet getting things his own way when he wanted them. Roman sighed to himself knowing there would be a day he would have to explain that although he hoped it wouldn’t be to them face to face as it was now. He actually hoped it would be over a video call or something when they had all made peace with each other and put everything that was happening now behind them. 

“I gave Shane your names to secure my own freedom and Zarah’s safety. I got fed up with looking over my shoulder all the time wondering when he was going to catch up to me while you two carried on with your lives like nothing was going to happen. I just wanted you two to know how it felt. As for giving them the location of Princess Mansion, I did what I had to, to survive. I did what I had to do to get revenge on the person who took you two away from me, I thought if she was gone then you two would come back” responded Roman seeing the way Seth was looking at him and how Dean had began to twitch slightly slowly losing what control over his anger he had. “As for turning on you, I wanted you two to feel how I did when you gave you thirds of the company to me and left, I wanted you two know how it felt when you two joined Paige over something that could have been solved if we had been adults about it” finished Roman revealing he had turned on them for revenge to which he was met with a sharp pain shooting through is jaw as well as the concrete pavement being his support system when he lost his balance from the force of the punch he received. 

“Talk about it like adults. That would have helped if you actually tried to talk to us, instead you went to Evolution and threw us in the deep end because you couldn’t get it your own way. You put both Paige and Renee in more danger than they already were along with Punk and AJ who hadn’t done anything to you. So please tell me did your plan work? You’re lucky Paige was only injured by Jarrett’s crew, if either of them had ended up in critical condition or dead we wouldn’t be having this conversation now. You would be behind bars along with the rest of Evolution” spoke Dean standing over Roman with a satisfied look passing over his features especially since he had just released some of his pent up anger on the man it was aimed at. He could have lost Renee because of Roman’s crusade to make both him and Seth feel as he had done, just as Seth could have lost another he loved to Roman, all be it in a different way to how he lost Zarah. To Roman’s surprise Seth didn’t say anything he just pulled on Dean’s shoulder and walked away, knowing Roman now had to stand on his own two feet, he couldn’t go back to Evolution for help since the ones who were helping him were answering for their own crimes, he and Dean would no longer be there as a way to help him and the only person he claimed to love was currently out of his reach although safe. 

Upon returning to Princess Mansion they were met with Paige and Renee in the living room, both of them had a laptop in front of them typing away at the keyboard. Although Paige was also clicking away at the mouse like she was doing something. Finn and some of his demons in the form of his most trust trio along with Charlotte and Becky who had returned from her duty as company for Zarah with them. Corey too was there with the members of the Wyatt family patrolling outside to make sure no one got close to either of the occupants of the mansion, just as they had swept the inside to make sure nothing was out of place and there were no hidden surprises since the mansion had been empty since most of them were in different place or hiding even on the run from Evolution. 

“Are you sure about this Princess?” asked Karl Anderson, he knew she would do something upon returning but didn’t quite think it would be something like this. “Moving Zarah from her current location to here will give Roman a better chance of finding her. Plus demolishing some of the mansions and rebuilding them that’s going to take time” added Karl being slightly surprised when she said she wanted to demolish some of the mansions she had inherited and rebuild them, it was clear to most of them she had been thinking a lot while on the run from those who had been hunting her for so long. Paige only looked up and nodded to his question, confirming she was sure about what she was planning on doing, just as she trusted those around her to trust her. 

“Everyone Zarah considers a friend is here in Orlando. Plus she has been making it clear she wants to give birth her in a place she knows. So make the relevant modifications to this mansion and bring her here. Even if Roman does find out she’s here he can’t access the house. Plus she’ll be more comfortable here, she’s close to a hospital so when the time comes she can get there quickly, there’s plenty of things to do around here, state of the art security system so she has peace of mind that she’s safe. She can have friends visit her here. That way she doesn’t feel like a captive as much as she probably does now” responded Paige revealing she was doing it so Zarah was more comfortable, the woman was expecting after all and everything she knew was in Orlando, if she could do anything for Zarah then it would be letting her be in the place she wanted to be in, hence why she was allowing her to live in Princess Mansion for a while. “In turn I will be going to the newly build Princess Armoury II, just as I am sending each of you to own mansions to which you are free to name. I will send each of you information on the headquarters when it’s finished, from there we can talk about what happens with Knight’s Raven, all of you get a say in it together we will decided what happens” finished Paige revealing she had commissioned the building before she had left to go on the run, most of which had been completed, only being the building they were going to use as their head quarters to go. 

“I will send a few things over to Zarah so she can decide on the colour scheme and furniture for this place. Might as well get her to pick out some nursery stuff as well since I have a feeling she’s going to be staying here for a long time” spoke Corey to which Paige nodded, he admired her in his own way. Although the boss on a large corporation she was showing her kinder side to Zarah by allowing her to be in the place she wanted when it come to her due date, she was also intending to make sure she was as comfortable as possible and not feel as if she was a captive at all. He would be lying if he said he knew of another who would do such a thing for someone. “Seth that means your still with Paige, your the best guy to keep her protected” added Corey although he knew Seth was probably already aware of where he would be since he was there when Dean and Renee had decided to call their mansion Lunatics Palace, Renee had explained it to him as well as showed him some of the things both she and Dean had chosen to go in there. Plus Paige had asked for his option on some of the things for her own mansion although he didn’t know the name of it. 

“Everyone is this room is my council. Every idea I have will pass through you first, all ideas you have will also be taken into consideration. I will explain more when we meet after the HQ is finished” spoke Paige before allowing each of them to leave, although she was happy to see Seth, Dean and Renee had stayed behind, mainly because they were going to be spending time with her while the modifications to the current Princess Mansion were made. They would each be there to greet Zarah when she arrived from her current location. Paige already knew where she wanted the company to go but knew she couldn’t do it alone, so she had chosen each of them who were just with her to be her council and give their ideas too. She intended each of them to be involved in the company so each of them had something to be proud of. After all Corey had merged his own little business with hers much like Roman had done with Evolution months prior.


	12. Chapter 12 - Shattered Memories

It had been weeks since Paige had returned to the city in which she had grown up in, for her a lot had changed. She no longer felt like the scared girl she had once been who didn’t know who she could trust or what was going on around her. She now felt as if she knew everything, had people she could trust around her, she had found where she was meant to be. Every day she was thankful for those around her as they were most likely the reason why Evolution never got what they wanted when they sent out the assassination order all those years ago. She knew for sure if Corey hadn’t informed Finn of her whereabouts and the said Demon King hadn’t saved her that day then one she wouldn’t be alive at this moment and two she would never have found out the truth on everything that had been kept from her. 

“What are you thinking about?” asked Seth, coming to sit next the woman he had the duty to protect as well as the one he had fallen for. To him she was everything he could ask for, she was beautiful, had her own style and personality, knew what she wanted, had a will to fight and she was loving to him just as he was to her. He silently thanked Dean every day for suggesting his crazy plan to move their business to Orlando, as it had brought him to the woman he now lived with, it had brought him to his happiness despite the other things going on around them. “Your dad again?” added Seth watching as she nodded, tears appearing in her eyes. Someone from Evolution had sent each of them a letter, telling them something they didn’t know or something others shouldn’t know. Seth and Dean’s were both about Roman, something he had done and hope to keep hidden. Finn’s was informing him of secret he had never told anyone, where as Corey’s was the former location Zarah was kept at, Renee’s had something to do with her family back home in Canada where as Paige’s had been about her parents. 

“Actually it was this” responded Paige, handing over the handwritten note from a member of Evolution while trying to keep her tears from falling. She hoped with everything what was written on the note wasn’t true. “I’ve been trying to gain the confidence to phone and ask him about it, but every time go to, there just something stopping me. Something asking do I really want to know the truth, or what happens if it is true” added Paige confining in the man she had come to love on her state of mind over the note she had received from unknown member or members of Evolution. This was the last thing she was expecting to read on a note yet it was also the worst. If it was true then her entire childhood and belief in her father would be destroyed, everything she thought she knew about him would be gone just as any trust that was once there would disappear. 

“How about we go and see him, there you can either show him the note or ask him about what it says. Either way you find out the answers and know the truth” spoke Seth giving the note back to her, and pulling her into a gentle hug, he knew if the words written turned out to be true then her whole world would be destroyed. No one deserved anything like that. “No matter the answer I’ll be here Paige, until the end of the line” added Seth feeling as she wrapped her arms around his waist since the hug was more of a side one. He soon began to sooth her tears when they began to flow by stroking her raven locks, rubbing her arm, and shushing her with a few gentle kisses to the top of her head. Seth could tell just by the way she had broken down the note had affected her more than she had originally let on when she was around the others. 

With Corey, he was currently at Princess Mansion. Since Zarah had been moved there a few days before, surprise swept over her when she realised where she was staying and what all the magazines were for. Paige had also explained to her why she was there in the first place, thrust confirming although she was with them, she wasn’t going to be treated poorly, instead they had given her a comfortable place to stay with everything she would be needing, allowed her to decorate the place to her liking and have visitors over when she wished as long as she informed someone before hand so they could let the visitors in and out. The food would be delivered every week, just as she had been informed someone from the hospital would come to do her check ups with her. They were determined she wasn’t going to feel like a prisoner, but more like she was being protected by them. 

“How is everything? You settling in okay?” asked Corey upon seeing the mother to be, her baby bump beginning to show now, she had reached the fourth month or just past it. He knew Paige had made sure she had everything she could possible want, even allowing Roman to visit if she wanted him to. Something she was sure Zarah would due to them being the parents of the same unborn child, although it was clear Zarah was mad at him she didn’t show any signs of stopping him being the father her child deserved. Corey showed his softer side when he helped her down the stairs, and leading her to the living room, noticing she had left the décor how it was, something that actually surprised him. He was expecting her to add her own twist by shaking up the colours and accessories in the rooms and completely remodel some of the rooms she had in the large mansion. 

“Yeah, I’ve settled in fine. Paige came by the other day and gave me a map so I knew where everything is, she also helped with ordering the things for the baby’s nursery. Renee came by as well to help with stocking the baby wardrobe. Paige even said I could have Roman over if I wanted as long as I tell someone in advanced” replied Zarah, a smile on her features at the kindness of everyone around her, they were treating her like she was some sort of goddess and making sure she had the least amount of stress as possible, they were at least making sure she had everything ready for her due date, complete with her own security team and driver should she need to go somewhere. Although she knew that was unlikely due to the mansion having everything she needed there including its own gym. “Everything is fine here, and I want to thank all of you. For not making me feel as if I’m a hostage. Instead you took into account I’m an expecting mother and made sure I experience the least amount of stress as possible, Paige even arranged for me to be moved here so I could be in the place I know and be with my friends again” finished Zarah at least thankful they had considered everything, she was allowed to do everything as long as she had someone with her. 

“I will pass the message on to Paige for you. Since moving you here was her idea. Roman will be due in a few minutes along with Dr Galloway, he will set up in the medical room you have here, as for Roman when you want him to leave just call Sami or Kevin and I believe Harper will be patrolling the perimeter to make sure everything is okay” responded Corey at least thankful the mother to be was comfortable, she had everything she needed and today was her check up. Her normal security in Kevin and Sami were there just as Luke Harper had offered to patrol the outside while Roman was there to ensure the Samoan wouldn’t try anything. For the time being Zarah was amongst their highest priority, the others being to keep watch on AJ and Punk, keep Renee safe and the normal of protecting the one they called Princess. Before either of them knew it there was a knock at the door, Corey bringing the security camera up to reveal Roman stood there with a small gift bag and a bunch of flowers, to which Zarah nodded giving her own mini order to allow the father of her child to enter her mansion. 

Upon entering the mansion, Roman was met with Corey who stood there with an unreadable expression on his features, he soon stepped aside to reveal Zarah, a small smile appearing on her lips at being able to see, hear and touch him, as the only way they had been able to see and hear each other was through the live feed each had been given. Corey soon signalled he was going to join both Sami and Kevin in the security hub, to which the dark haired mother to be nodded to him with a small smile, knowing he would let the doctor in when he arrived and show him to the room he was to set up in. Zarah soon lead Roman to the living room, knowing there catch up was long over due, and he still had no idea she was be treated so well. 

“Everything is fine with me Roman, When Paige come back to Orlando, she gave the order to move me here, made the arrangements so I would have everything I needed to feel comfortable and be where I wanted to when this little one comes” spoke Zarah when she sat on the sofa, patting the area next to her for Roman to take a seat, she could see the shock on Roman’s features to see she had been taken care off, especially since he had failed his task and the woman in question had ultimately return to Orlando on her own terms and made sure the main Evolution players were where they no doubt belonged. He was also aware Zarah had been told of what task those who were close to the ones forced to run had given him to do. Her slight distance from him had given it away way either or that or she just didn’t know how to act around him any more, they had been parted for so long. Zarah could only feel the awkward tension between them and smile to try and ease the feeling that was there. 

“I’m sorry Zarah. I’m sorry you were the one who had to pay for my actions. If I hadn’t joined Evolution then you wouldn’t be in this situation now. We would still be together getting ready for our little one. If it wasn’t for me selling out Dean and Seth, you would be free and happy right now instead your stuck here, probably thinking the worst about me” responded Roman apologising for his past actions, since losing Zarah and watching those in Evolution who helped him get arrested he was forced to under go a lot of thinking and come to the realisation if he hadn’t done some of the things he had then things would be so much different. Dean would probably still be there for him as a friend, Seth would probably be angry at him rather than see him as an enemy, Zarah would be happy and comfortable in their own home, Finn and Corey wouldn’t be trying to keep him as a far from Paige as possible, Renee wouldn’t have seen him as a traitor and Paige herself would have probably come to see him as a friend. Instead the opposite of all that happened all because of the stupid decisions he had made in the past. “If I go back and change it, I would. Then maybe everything would be better” added Roman, feeling guilty over everything that happened. 

“Zarah” called Sami, poking his head through the door with his normal bubbly smile on his lips. “Dr Galloway is here, he’s in the medical office waiting for you and Roman” added Sami watching as she nodded and the surprised look crossed Roman’s Samoan features, clearly he wasn’t expecting to be allowed to be there when she had one of her check ups. Zarah smiled and stood taking hold of Roman’s hand and leading him to the room where the kind doctor was. He had travelled from Orlando to her previous place since he was someone Finn trusted greatly when it come to medical issues. As normal Dr Galloway greeted the mother to be with a warm smile and instructed her to the bed so he could do the normal check ups. 

“Had lots of relaxing times, since I last saw you?” asked Dr Galloway, measuring the bump to make sure the child she was carrying was growing at the correct rate and therefore she was having a healthy pregnancy. Zarah only nodded with a slight giggle when he hit a ticklish point, a smile staying on her lips as Dr Galloway went about his normal routine when it come to the check ups. “Nothing out of the ordinary happen, no serious dizzy spells, or intense morning sickness?” added the doctor making sure to ask everything so he could be sure the pregnancy was going as it should, he knew the mother to be was getting excited about welcoming her first child although like every expecting first time mum she was also rather nervous about the fast approaching event. 

“Nothing, just the normal cravings, and slightly swollen ankles. Oh and the mood swings. Kevin mentioned I flew of the handle at him the other day when he asked if I was okay” responded Zarah revealing she had the normal symptoms of pregnancy, she was actually thankful for Kevin being one of her protectors due to him already being a father, he knew when she went through the sudden mood swings or bit his head off for no reason that she didn’t mean anything she said. Instead he just nodded and lead her to the room she would be most comfortable in and able to relax, leaving her be with the necessary things to call for help with if she ever needed it. “When will we be able to find out what we’re having?” asked Zarah, she actually couldn’t wait to find out if they were having a boy or a girl, mainly so she could continue with the nursery and finish preparing for when the time come considering she had just hit the four month mark of the pregnancy. 

“Next appointment. Which will be the same time next month. Everything looks good, pregnancy appears to be going in a healthy way, just as you are completely healthy. Keep on doing as you are and relax as much as possible. Like I say every time avoid stress as much as you can and do what’s best for you and the baby” responded Dr Galloway informing her she would be able to find out the gender of her child the following month at their next appointment. As well as giving her the normal advice of avoiding anything that would cause her large amounts of stress and to stay as relax as much as she could, thrust ensuring she would continue having an easy and healthy pregnancy besides the normal symptoms she was experiencing. 

Back with Paige and Seth, they were currently walking up the drive to the house she had grown up in, Seth having persuaded her to go and see her father, step mother and half sister. As well as to get the answers to the questions that he knew were no doubt bugging her. He knew if everything went good then Paige would leave the current property with a smile on her lips and content with everything she knew and knowing the note was a lie, but if it went the opposite then she would leave in tears, her childhood and trust in her father destroyed and knowing what the note said was indeed the truth. As well as the worst thing her father could have done. It would also no doubt blur the lines to her of who was good and who was the bad. They had of course rang ahead to inform the residents of the house she was coming, Kane also being there also with Crystal, Summer and Emma. 

“Paige” called Summer upon seeing her cousin, she could always find it amusing how the two were the opposite in appearance. Paige having naturally raven hair and brown eyes where as Summer herself was blond with blue eyes, her sister in Emma being the same. “Its so good to see you again cousin. I’ve missed you so much. Its been so long since we have caught up” added Summer hugging Paige tightly and showing her love for her cousin, she smiled and waved to Seth, the two having met before for a few brief minutes, she knew he was protective of Paige just as his love for her was clear to see to those around them. “Michelle took Kaia out for the day, but she should be back later on” finished Summer leading the pair into the Calaway residence, there in the living room was Mark, Kane, Emma and Crystal. Three of them with the same soft smile on their features as Summer had upon seeing Paige the other just relieved to see she was okay. Seth gave the note Paige had received over to her father knowing if Paige herself did it then she would no doubt end up in tears again. She was already dreading the answer she was going to get, there was no point in making worse. 

“I think its best we talk in the kitchen” spoke Mark, the look of horror passing over his features at reading what the note said and wondering how Evolution had found out about it, he was sure the only two people to know the truth behind that day were him and the person who had carried it out. It frightened him to know there were others out there who knew of his darkest secrets and held the tools to break the relationship between himself and his oldest daughter. He silently encouraged himself as he lead Paige to the kitchen, fearing the worst but hoping for the best with every step that he took towards one of the main rooms in any house hold. Upon entering the room he closed the door to make it more private, placing the note on the table and looking at it as if it was the most dangerous thing in the world. He knew now he had to come clean with her, he couldn’t lie to her when she knew of it, especially since the last time he lied to her, he had driven her away instead of keeping her close as he had originally intended. Plus he knew it would only be worse if he lied now and she found out the truth some time in the future. 

“Is it true?” asked Paige, tears beginning to appear in her brown eyes, making them appear glassy and crystal like, the sadness on her features mixing with the fear of what she was about to hear and the uncertainty of the unknown. “Did you hire someone to kill mum?” added Paige wanting to know if the words written on the piece of paper before them was indeed true and her father was indeed behind the death of her mother. The tears in her eyes only got worse as did the horror she felt as he nodded yes to the questions, his own guilt rising as it dawned on him because of his own stupid and rather reckless decision all those years ago he could lose everything he loved, including his oldest child. 

“Yes” whispered Mark, feeling the guilt rise as he remember the woman he had loved all those years ago, as he remembered Saraya and how happy they once were. Just as he could remember that happiness turning to bitterness over their disagreements on how to raise their daughter and what they should and shouldn’t tell her as she grows up. “It was the only way Paige, If I took you away she would have found you, you wouldn’t have grown up the way you did. I admit I should have told you about Knight’s Raven and who your mother was before but I couldn’t tell you about them without remembering Saraya and what I did, and the guilt and regret of taking your mother away from you when you needed her the most” added Mark revealing he did indeed feel regret and guilt over what he had done all those year ago. When he looked to Paige he could see the tears in her eyes beginning to fall, the sadness in her eyes at hearing what her father had done. “You were the best thing to happen to both of us Paige, she loved you more than anything but the only way to protect you and make sure you had a normal childhood was to take you away, when you were born you inherited both our enemies. I had to make a choice you or Saraya. I chose you. I’m sorry I took her away from you, and took your chance to know her in person but it is for the best” finished Mark, seeing the anger start to appear in her eyes mixing with her tears. 

“You lied to me all these years” spoke Paige, trying to stop herself from crying and keep her anger under control, she was succeeding with her anger, but failing miserably with her tears. “You never told me she was dead, you never even told me her name. Instead you hid the truth from me and put me in more danger than I would have been. The more I find out, the more I realise I don’t know you, the more I realise you didn’t hide any of this to protect me, but to protect yourself from the truth of what I would discover if I did know everything” added Paige, wiping her tears away her eyes turning red and puffy from the uncontrollable tears that was escaping from her. She really didn’t know what to think. Everything she knew and believed about her father was all a lie, he wasn’t the detective he had acted as, instead he was a killer, a liar. She didn’t know who in her own family she could trust any more, her father wasn’t who she thought and her childhood was nothing more than shattered memories now. “You killed her to erase that part of your life. Its time you finished what your started papa. I’m the last reminder you have of that life. Its time I go too” finished Paige before walking from the kitchen, Seth noticing her go past the living room quickly took hold of her things and followed, saying a quick goodbye as he went. He had spotted her tears, guessing the answer she had received wasn’t what she had wanted to hear. It wasn’t long before he caught up with her. 

“Hey” spoke Seth upon reaching her, seeing her tears and generally broken appearance. The Paige before him wasn’t the princess he had grown to love and care for. She wasn’t the Paige he knew so well. The girl before him was one who had everything she knew shattered and destroyed, the one who had lost hope in everything she had previously believed in. “Come here” whispered Seth wrapping her in a loving embrace and holding her close as she cried, he didn’t know what happened but he knew it had broken the girl he loved so much. He wanted to help her but he didn’t know how, he quickly sent a message to Dean and Punk asking them to visit Princess Armoury II with AJ and Renee due to Paige being in need of their help now. He also did the same with the others mainly Corey and Finn so they knew Paige wouldn’t be herself for a little while, but he also knew each of them would help her in anyway they could even if that was being someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on. 

“I don’t know who I am any more. Everything I knew was a lie. Everything I thought I was is just a story my dad to told to make himself feel better about what he did” whispered Paige, her head still resting on his shoulder. She felt safe when she was with him, like everything would be okay again eventually even if it didn’t seems like anything would ever make any sense again. “What the note said is true, my dad did hire someone to kill her” added Paige, her tears once again taking over, to which Seth only nodded and kissed her cheek, whispering sweet nothings in her ear and opting to lead her back to the car so they could return to the place they both called home. He knew it was going to be difficult for a while, she now had one of the hardest decisions in front of her. Although he had a feeling she had already make that choice, especially if her tears were anything to go by. “I’m walking away, he killed her to erase that part of his life. Since I’m the last permanent reminder of it, Its about time I walked away so he can completely forget about it” added Paige revealing she was going to say goodbye to her father to allow him to move on with what he wanted, that also meaning she would be saying goodbye to both Michelle and Kaia since they were the family she concluded he had wanted when he made that decision. She had yet to decide whether or not to do the same with her cousins, aunt Crystal and Uncle Kane. 

“I will be here Paige, through everything. You helped me when I went through a tough time which I know isn’t much compared to all of this. My heart breaks seeing you like this, so if helping you find who you are again is what I have to do, then so be it. But your stuck with me until the end” responded Seth, giving her confidence in knowing someone would be there for her, to which she nodded as they both got into the car. Seth making sure it hadn’t been tampered with before driving back to the mansion. If he was honest he hated seeing her so lost and broken as she was now, yet he knew he loved her, hence why he was willing to help her to find herself once again and to move on, she was the one who held his heart and ironically the one he couldn’t imagine a future without, what started out as a simple protection detail had turned into him finding that special someone. Just like Dean had said would happen when he followed his heart. 

Back at the Calaway residents, Kane entered the kitchen upon seeing Paige leaving the house without saying goodbye to anyone and in tears. He knew whatever had happened that caused his oldest niece to leave in tears the way she did would have likely affected his older brother as well. After all he had seen the horror in Mark’s eyes when he had read the note Seth had given him, there was clearly something on there that had unsettled him, just as it was obvious he would have to face something he had hoped would be lost with time. When he entered the kitchen he was met with Mark sat at the table the note in hand, tears waiting to fall in his eyes as he starred aimlessly out the kitchen window, his phone showing a picture of Paige when she graduated high school several years before. 

“Mark” spoke Kane, keeping his voice low but loud enough for his older brother to hear him, he also placed a hand on his shoulder, watching as his brother jumped slightly at being touched and turning to see who it was who had given him the fright. “What happened?” asked Kane sitting down at the table next to his brother, while his own two daughters and wife were in the living room no doubt talking about past memories and of happier times they had all shared together. After all Emma and Summer had grown up with their cousin, all going to the same school, only being a few years between each of them. Each of them had been so close as they went through their teenage years and tried to find who they were and went on the journey of self discovery. 

“I’ve lost her, she’s not going to come back. Because of my stupid decision when she was a toddler, I lost her” replied Mark sliding the note over the table to Kane, knowing his brother would have probably worked it out years ago, but didn’t say anything. Kane could only nod at what was written there, he knew when he had found out what his brother had done that for a reason although he was yet to work out the reason. “I wanted to leave our old life behind in the illegal business, but I couldn’t leave Paige, I hired a sniper to kill Saraya and hid everything from Paige. It was the only way I could think of to ensure she would be safe. Now Paige knows and she hates me for it, she thinks everything she believed is a lie. Just as she thinks if she is gone then I can finally erase the past with Saraya” explained Mark, revealing Paige wasn’t likely to come home now she had lost all faith and trust in him, that being what hurt the most, not only had he lost his oldest daughter but he had forced Kaia to lose her older sister too. “What am I going to say to Kaia when she asks where her sister is? What am I going to tell Michelle when Paige doesn’t visit or make contact?” finished Mark knowing he had destroyed his once strong relationship with his oldest daughter. 

“She has to find who she is again Mark. She has literally just had her childhood reduced to nothing but shattered memories, everything she believed turned out to be a lie. All we can do now is hope one day she understands, until then you have to accept the choice she has made and understand why she made it. Hope that she stays safe and finds what she is looking for. Maybe one day she will come home again” replied Kane, knowing if he was in the place Paige now found herself in then he would want time and space to find who he was again, to find out who he could trust and find the things he was looking for. He knew she was likely just hurt and angry, with only time telling if her decision was what she truly wanted or if it was made out of the raw emotion she just happened to be feeling at the time she spoke the words. 

“I hope you’re right. I don’t think I could handle losing her” responded Mark, wiping the tears from his eyes, he knew Michelle would ask how things went with Paige, since had made the mistake of telling her she was coming by. Now he had the daughting task of telling her things didn’t go well and the likely hood of seeing the raven haired woman again was rather low. He also knew there was a chance he would have to tell her what had caused his oldest daughter to make the decision she had as Michelle would no doubt guess, Paige wouldn’t have made such a choice without a good reason for doing so. He also knew there would be a lot of questions coming from both Michelle and no doubt his young daughter in Kaia about the now sore subject of his oldest daughter.


	13. Chapter 13 - Dream of the Future

“She is my wife” shouted Seth, the men in front of and surrounding him looked in shock that he had even raised his voice let alone actually shouted at someone. The few women there also looking up from what they had been doing. Roman, Dean, Punk, Finn and Corey all stood before him like he was some sort of king, like they were knights awaiting their orders or information on the next war they would be fighting in. “How could you do this?” asked Seth swiping his two toned hair to the side and out of his eyes. The anger and frustration beginning to fade, slowly being replaced with the tears of uncertainty and confusion on someone he trusted would do such a thing and put his family in jeopardy. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost either of them 

“It wasn’t meant to be like this, she was supposed to be the bait to draw Evolution out. She was supposed to be taken to safety. I’m sorry Seth” responded Roman, his deep voice echoing through the normally bustling office area. It was almost like the employee’s of Knight’s Raven were waiting, even watching in anticipation to see what was going to happen next, like this was some sort of soap opera to them. “The driver was supposed to take her to the rendezvous point five blocks away. Not hand deliver her to Evolution” continued Roman. His words pleading his innocence but his eyes screaming there was more to the situation that meets the eye. His icy eyes screaming there was more secrets that had yet to be discovered. They were emotionless, not matching the words that flowed effortlessly from his dry lips, he was almost trembling in fear of what might happen if they found out the truth. 

“Whether it was supposed to happen or not Roman, Seth could potentially lose Paige because of this” responded Punk, understanding how his younger brother was feeling. After all he had been in similar situations countless times, one of them a few years prior with AJ mysteriously disappearing. He had only received the message “Pep” from her in a text message. He had realised hours later it was the first three letter of Pepper, their code words for in danger. He had done everything he could then with the help of those he trusted with his life to find her and bring her home, they had stayed with Seth and Paige for a while afterwards. He knew if the raven haired beauty his brother called wife had her phone she would have done something similar but they had discovered her bag with her phone and anything traceable inside at the place where the meeting had originally taken place. 

“Daddy” came a voice of a young boy, no older than four, wearing a pair of jeans and plan green t-shirt, paired with black and white converse. The dark haired boy ran over to Seth wrapping his arms around his thighs and resting his head on his hip. “Daddy, where’s mommy? She said she would be back” asked the young boy, an older woman following behind the young boy, an apologetic look place firmly on her features as she looked down at the young boy with sympathy. He was too young to understand his mother had gone missing or had been taken by someone. He was too young to understand the danger she was possibly in. She couldn’t bring herself to tell the boy his mother might not be coming home, or of the other possibilities there was for her fate, she could only give him false hope that everything would be okay despite there being a high chance it wouldn’t be. 

“Mommy will be home soon. There has just been a little bit of an incident. But I promise you Luke I will do everything to make sure she comes home safely” replied Seth once he had leant down to the boys height, stroking a hand through his neatly done hair and seeing the boys eyes reminded him of Paige, as did his raven hair. Even the smile the boy gave him reminded Seth of his mother, especially when her kind and sweeter side that she only showed to those in her trusted circle and those who called her friend. Seth knew he would do everything in his power to make sure the mother of his son was brought home safely, he wouldn’t only be reuniting himself with his loving wife but he would also be reuniting mother and child again, something that brought a warm feeling to his heart and something that would serve as motivation of finding her like he promised to do. 

With that Seth woke up from his sleep, looking around the dimly lit room at the black box that served as a digital clock on the bed side table next to him, seeing it wasn’t even half five in the morning and the sun hadn’t even risen outside. He looked around the room seeing everything was how it had been left the night before, the only thing that seemed out of place to him was his phone flashing up with a text message from none of than Roman. Seth contemplated reading it or leaving it until he had woken up properly, he soon looked to his side upon hearing a quiet sigh of content from beside him, a small admiring smile coming to his lips upon seeing his raven haired lady sleeping peaceful without a care in the world, it was in that moment he forgot about the message. His curiosity taking over as he wondered what she was dreaming about, just as the events of his own dream come back to him. He soon placed a soft kiss on her temple and once again wrapped her in his arms, wondering how he hadn’t woken her when he suddenly jumped awake moments before hand. 

It had been months since Evolution had been arrested, each of them being kept in custody until they were cleared of the charges against them, something that was unlikely to happen due to the mountain of evidence against them and the shear determination of the duo known as the Brothers of Destruction. Ever since Mark had lost Paige after she found out what he had done, he was determined to make sure those who wanted to hurt his oldest daughter were where they belonged, locked up behind bars where they couldn’t hurt her or anyone else for that matter. Although she had walked away from him, he hadn’t stopped being her father, an act he was showing through his actions and determination of putting all those who forced her to run where everyone knew they belonged. 

“How is Michelle taking it?” asked Kane, breaking the almost deafening silence that had over taken the area they were in, both of them doing paper work that needed to be filed, no doubt long over due as it normally was for them and most police officers around the world. He knew since Paige had left the Calaway residents months before hand no longer seeing the large family house as her home things had been different. Mark had distant himself from Michelle and Kaia almost like he didn’t want to hurt them in the same way he had done with Paige. He also knew Michelle had asked what had happened with Mark responding with the entire truth including what he had done for Paige to respond to him in the way she had, to say her trust in her husband had been shaken was the understatement but she soon realised upon learning more of Saraya why he had done it, unlucky for both of them Kaia couldn’t understand why her sister hadn’t come home or even contacted any of them.

“She understood everything and tries to tell Kaia every day that Paige wont be coming home. Kaia being as young as she is doesn’t understand why, when she knows Paige is still out there. Neither one us can work out a way to tell her in a way she will understand while also being truthful with her” responded Mark revealing both mother and father had been trying to find a way of telling their five almost six year old daughter the truth in way they knew she would understand. “Kaia has also been showing a lot of anger, she misses Paige and knows her sister isn’t there because of something I did. She keeps asking me to make things right, every night when I return she asks if I have done something to bring Paige back, every time I say no I see the sadness and tears appear in her eyes. Because of my stupid mistake back then I have lost one of my girls and on the verge of losing the other one as well” finished Mark revealing he knew Kaia was getting more frustrated with him when he couldn’t bring one of the people she loved home again, especially when she didn’t know the real reason why her big sister left in tears before. 

“She’s young Mark, five years old is too young to be brought into all of this, to know the truth on what her daddy used to do for a living and what her big sister now does. She’s too young to know what lead to Paige leaving the way she did” replied Kane knowing Kaia was too young to learn the truth on what Paige now did and what her dad and uncle had previously done for a living, how they had each met someone they had called their true love. Although only Kane’s had stuck, Crystal giving him two beautiful daughters of his own in Summer and Emma, like Kaia both missed their cousin although knew the reason why she had left. “Hopefully when she is older she will understand, maybe then she will get the answers to her questions and understand she hasn’t done anything to make Paige leave. Just promise me you wont keep things from her like you did with Paige. I don’t think I could handle another rebellious niece, this one is bad enough” finished Kane, lightening the mood a little, in a way he found it ironic how his own two girls had turned out so different to that of their slightly younger cousin. Their golden hair showing their happy personalities of being raised outside the business, never knowing of it until they were twenty one where he and Crystal sat them down and told them the truth. Where as Paige’s dark haired showed her rebellious side, especially when she was put in critical condition when she was in her late teens and began to discover the secrets that had been kept from her. 

“I wont, believe me I have learnt my lesson from this. When Kaia is old enough I will tell her everything” responded Mark, just hoping when that day come, his youngest daughter would understand why those things were kept from her, hoping she would accept anything that had happened between now and then wasn’t her fault but his own. He hoped she would be understanding and accepting like Summer and Emma were when they found out, after all she was more like them in terms of appearance than she was Paige, although her personality was close to Paige’s at that age, curious and rather mischievous. It brought a smile to his lips at remember what his oldest daughter was like and how similar his youngest with Michelle is to her. He knew from the personalities they both share that they were both his children. Anyone who knew them and him could tell that. Kane could only smile softly at remembering his own two girls running around and playing with their cousin, the moments when Summer went drama queen and wanted to go shopping, dragging an unwilling Paige and a partially convinced Emma along with her. 

At Princess Mansion, Roman was with Zarah the mother to be glowing as her due date drew closer with every new day that past, she was now eight months pregnant and full prepared for when the time come. She had found out she was to have a baby boy, a bright smile coming to her lips when Dr Galloway informed her. Especially when she realised her dreams of having a son for her first child had come true, with Roman they had settled to call their son Jordan, they had settled on the name mere hours after finding out the gender of the child. Those who protected Zarah had helped to decorate the nursery ready for when the baby boy comes home for the first time. 

“How are things going with you, Seth and Dean?” asked Zarah sitting in the back living room that over looked the gardens, she felt peaceful there and often took little cat naps there when she felt exhausted. She could remember when Roman had told her he was going to try and make things right with those he still seen as friends, after all they had allowed him to see Zarah and kept her safe despite being hostile towards him. Zarah only sighed when he didn’t respond knowing from his lack of response things weren’t going well. “You promised you would try and get this sorted out before Jordan is born. You’re running out of time” added Zarah, putting her feet up and seeing how swollen her ankles were over her baby bump. She loved knowing what was to come but almost hated the side effects such as the morning sickness, swollen ankles and the constant mood swings she had experienced over the last eight month. 

“I know, I’m working on it. Seth isn’t so much angry at you any more, more me for everything that happened. Where as Dean being Dean staying out of it as much as possible. He’s letting me and Seth attempt to sort things out although it is a little hostile still with me merging with Evolution to get payback on them” responded Roman, revealing things were still hostile despite there being months passed since Evolution had been arrested and he had been allowed to see Zarah again. He could understand the anger of both Seth and Dean, because of his decision made in anger and hurt he had forced them on the run and endangered the lives of Renee and Paige more than they already were, plus he had turned their friendship in to a rival fit for any long time enemies rather than three men that were like brothers at one point. “I don’t know if they will ever understand why I did what I did, but I wont give up until they realise how sorry I am and that I now get why they are so angry at me” finished Roman, handing the French fries from McDonalds over to the expecting mother so she could settle her cravings. He had to admit he was beginning to get excited about being a father now the nerves had began to fade and the dream period as he called it had faded. Now that it had settled in he was going to have a son, he was getting more excited as the time got nearer. 

“Eventually they will forgive you, until then keep earning their trust and proving to them you deserve to be called friend and brother again. And be a good dad to your son, as you know if you don’t on the last one then I will find the nearest frying pan and whack you up side the head with it with a smile on my lips” replied Zarah, feeling their son kick and seeing the smile come to Roman’s lips at hearing what she would do if he wasn’t there for their son as he had promised. He could almost imagine her putting their son to bed with a bedtime story then waiting at the door for him with the frying pan of choice in hand, no doubt not in any mood to hear whatever excuse he may of thought of before walking through the door. “Paige has been kind to you considering everything that happened, she has been the same with me, you know we didn’t get off to the best start. Yet she made sure I wasn’t treated like a prisoner and did something about my request of being here when my due date arrives. She made sure I’m looked after. So you know she isn’t like you imagined her to be” added Zarah knowing Roman had imagined her as a monster who would hurt others to make her target feel pain. When in truth she was one of the kindest people Zarah had met and a rather generous person. 

“I know” responded Roman thinking over the situation and noticing how Paige and Renee had stayed out of it, both no doubt deciding what happens should have nothing to do with them since it was Seth and Dean hurt the most by the entire situation despite their lives being in more danger when they were forced to run. “I’ve just noticed Paige and Renee are staying out of it, they are leaving Seth and Dean to sort it out” added Roman revealing although Roman had done something to them, they had opted to allow the boys to solve the problems between them due to their relationship once resembling that of brothers or close family. Zarah only smiled upon hearing that knowing the girls would solve their problems with him at a later date when he had dealt with the two he wished to call friends again and salvage what remained of the relationship he had with them. 

With Seth, he was currently in the security hub of the mansion he shared with Paige, the events of the dream he had the night before playing on repeat in his head. In a way it brought a smile to his lips, he was dreaming about marrying Paige and having a family with her. After all he had called her his wife in the dream just as he had dreamt of their son Luke, although he never actually seen her in the dream it had felt so real to him, even to the point when he woke up he looked around for the four year old boy he had seen. While focusing on the dream and wondering if it actually meant anything, Seth hadn’t noticed Paige enter the hub, a mug of coffee and a small plate of biscuits in hand, as well as her music playing through the earbuds as she bobbed her head to the music and walked with a slight bounce in her step. 

“Oh sorry didn’t mean to scare you” shouted Paige, although Seth was sure it sounded like she was talking normally to her. The Iowan merely reached out and pulled one of her earbuds out, placing it in his own ear with a small smile as he pulled her to sit on his lap, once she had put the coffee and biscuits down. He could happily listen to music with her all day, just being around her put him at peace and brought that genuine smile to his lips. “What were you thinking about?” asked Paige wrapping her arms gently around his neck, she knew he had been thinking about something, the way he had jumped when she put the coffee mug down and no doubt shouted his name, she could tell she had given him a scare by the way he turned around quick enough to give himself whiplash and placed a hand on his chest over his heart in an attempt to calm it from racing as it no doubt was. 

“A dream I had last night. It was different from what I normally dream about” responded Seth, his voice low as he enjoyed the moment, he loved the moments when it was just the two of them together, the quietness bringing a peaceful atmosphere with it. Making it seem like their lives were that of any other resident in Orlando rather than the chaotic life they had been dealt. “I dreamt we were married and had a son together. Although I didn’t actually see you in the dream, I did see our four year old son, he had your hair, eyes and smile. I remember shouting at Roman for something, saying you were my wife” added Seth explaining parts of his dream, seeing the expression she had on her features, the softness of it like she enjoyed hearing about his dream. “It felt so real, touching our son felt so real” finished Seth, he missed the bit where he had two toned hair in this dream and that Paige herself was in the hands of Evolution at that point. 

“Sounds like you’re finally looking to the future rather than the past” replied Paige, knowing the dream of having a family and being married was a drastic change from the nightmares he had of losing someone he loved from another turning on him. She could remember waking up from him thrashing around and near enough shouting at whatever he was dreaming of. That only ending with Seth jumping awake covered in a cold sweat and panting from the most likely disturbing nightmare. Like with now he would tell her about it, knowing she would never judge him, instead she would help him to understand what the dream was about, often with nightmares he seen them as warnings but with this one it was clear he didn’t know if it was a warning or something he one day hoped to have. “What do you think it is?” asked Paige wondering what his thoughts were on the dream, since he had admitted he was thinking about it when she entered the room with substance for him. 

“I don’t know, parts of it say I’m moving on from being on the run for so long where as other parts suggest the past with always catch up with me” responded Seth resting his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes as he could hear her heartbeat although rather faintly. When he looked up to her, he knew he had confused her with his words. He quickly sighed to himself before trying to gain the confidence to tell her by encourage himself and remembering he didn’t have to hide anything from the woman sitting on his lap, they had been through a lot together over the months since they had met, even their first meeting didn’t go all that well. Yet still some how he felt a strong connection to her, still happy to be able to call her his own. “I didn’t see you in my dream because Evolution had got to you, I was shouting at Roman for using you as bait” added Seth revealing why he hadn’t see the raven haired beauty in the dream despite her being mentioned and the pair of them having a son together. 

“You can’t give upon him now. Despite everything that has happened in recent months you were once like brothers” spoke Paige refusing to let her protector and partner give up on someone he had once been close with, similar to how Renee was refusing to let Dean give up on Roman. Like Paige she knew the boys would regret it if they walked away without trying to work things out, it was just trying to get them to see it to. “He was your best friend once, a brother. If you give up now you’ll end up regretting it as will Dean. Its time to sort through your difference and find a way to move on even if it isn’t together as you once were. If you do go your separate ways at least make sure its on good terms” finished Paige attempting to reason with the man who held her heart, although she didn’t know Roman that well she had opted to at least convince the Iowan before her to try and mend things before it was too late, if it wasn’t already. 

The next day rolled around quickly, like every day for the past few months the Calaways hadn’t heard anything from Paige although both members of the Brothers of Destruction kept a close watch on Knight’s Raven noticing a few changes over the time that had passed. At this moment in time Dean and Seth were waiting in an open area for the arrival of Roman, both having taken the words of the women they called soul mate to heart and acting on what they had said. AJ and Finn were keeping a close eye on Paige were as Karl and Luke were doing the same with Renee giving the girls the comfort of knowing they had protection despite not having the normal protectors there. Both men were talking about their happy relationships when the Samoan they had once called best friend and brother appeared, hastily making his way towards them like he was expecting something bad to happen at any moment, an uncertain look painted on his features to match, although both Dean and Seth were wondering if that was because Roman still worried about backlash from other members of Evolution or because he was getting nervous about the birth of his son which was fast approaching. 

“Okay, we’re willing to listen. But on the condition you tell us the truth on everything. And I mean everything” spoke Dean, the flash of the unstable look passing across his features as he spoke to the slightly older man, Seth just stood by almost admiring how Dean did that. Making any man who thought of crossing him think twice and very carefully before doing so. It wasn’t long before Roman nodded to the words Dean had spoken, it was clear he had thought about this by the expression on his features as he nodded, it was a look of determination and will, like he was trying to keep to something he had said he would do or even promised someone. Both men had guessed it was likely to be Zarah that he had promised since she was the only person he had yet to actually turn against and the only one he had shown any real emotion to. As evident when she was taken how determined he was to find her, even willing to hand the pair of them over to Evolution to ensure her safety, although like always with Roman it was clear he hadn’t thought it all the way through. The irony there being amusing in its own way. 

“I’m sorry for turning on you back then, when you guys left I was confused, angry and surprise, I didn’t know what to do. I know it was my own decisions that lead to you two making your decision to walk away, it was a shock since we had always worked through our problems and come to some sort of way of solving them that worked for all of us. I couldn’t see past my own ego for that I’m sorry. Because of my stupid actions and decision you two could have lost the people you love and had your own lives endangered” spoke Roman making sure to take care with what words he spoke, knowing if he said the wrong thing it could make everything worse. “Seth I especially apologise to you, I made the decision to go behind your back with Zarah, I convinced her to keep it a secret when she was going to tell you and because of that you ended up getting hurt, you had and still have every tight to be angry with me, it was thanks to me your heart was broken the way it was and Dean I know you trusted me, and I know through my actions with Zarah that trust would have been shaken in the pair for the pair of you and mostly destroyed after I merged with Evolution. You both could have lost someone close to you because of my reckless choice, you both could have been killed because of me” finished Roman explaining he knew now that everything was going to be different with them, just as he knew he knew he had a lot of work ahead of him if he wanted to get everything back to how it once was or as close to it as possible. 

“We will give you a chance to prove you’ve changed, mainly because we know you promised Zarah and because Renee would no doubt question Dean about it and Paige would probably kick my ass around the mansion if we didn’t” responded Seth knowing what would happen if he and Dean didn’t give Roman that all important chance to prove to them he deserved their trust and brotherhood again. Roman knew it would be a long journey to get the relationship he had with the two men before him back, but couldn’t help but smile when Seth mentioned what Paige would do if he hadn’t been given the chance, it made him realise although he had hurt the younger woman she had opted to let them solve their problems on their own without any interference, Renee too making the same decision although she would no doubt catch him at a later date. He suspected both women would. 

Back at Princess Armoury II, Renee had opted to visit Paige knowing it would give the girl some comfort and also give the men protecting them some peace of mind that they were in the same place and out of harms way. Plus Renee just wanted to be there, knowing Paige was still coming to terms with what she had learnt through the letter she had received from members of Evolution months ago turning out to be true, like Seth and Dean did, Renee knew she was struggling when it come to moving forward that one decision made by her father had changed everything for her, leaving her lost and confused, unsure who to trust or who to put her faith in. 

“How you holding up?” asked the blond Canadian, a small friendly smile on her painted lips. At this moment both women were sat in the living room over looking the front of the property, they had both guessed Finn and his three most trusted Demons were in the security hub, the one room in the house where they could keep an eye on everything going on around the grounds of the mansion and in the building itself. The blond watched as Paige tried to keep her emotions in check and herself together at remembering what she had spent the last few months trying to forget, like most had expected she was struggling while trying to come to terms with what she had learnt and move on from it. Renee knew all to well it had brought concerns to the younger raven haired woman, especially about her own future when it come to settling down and having her own family. 

“I’m just to trying to think of reasons why my dad would do that. But I can’t think of any reason why he would hire someone to kill her. Just like I can’t bring myself to forgive him for it. I keep willing myself to, trying to convince myself he had a good reason for doing such a thing, but then I remember he said he loved her yet he is also responsible for her death” responded Paige, not knowing how to move forward from that, although she did have an idea, one she would need to consult with her council to see if they agreed due to it affecting them too. “I think I know what I have to do, he’s not going to like it but its the only way to finish what he started but I would need to get the opinions of my council members at it would effect them too” finished Paige quickly wiping away the tears that had fallen, not wanting to show any sort of weakness to anyone. The raven haired princess could tell by the way Renee nodded she knew what she had in mind. 

“Just do one thing before we go” spoke Renee in response gaining Paige’s curiosity, to which she smiled sadly knowing Paige would end up in tears at the thought of doing what she was about to suggest. “Write a letter to say goodbye to your little sister, I doubt your dad would have been able to tell her why you never come home, I doubt anyone has told her what is going on” added Renee, watching as Paige nodded to the request no doubt knowing it was what was best for her little sister, if the truth come from her as well as an explanation on why she was going. It would at least save her dad and Michelle the trouble of trying to find the right words and time to tell her. “Maybe send one to your cousins as well, I’m sure they will want to know what happened to their younger cousin” finished Renee once again watching Paige nod to the request, already knowing through the letters her uncle Kane, aunt Crystal, Father and Michelle would realise what she was going to do. 

“She’s never going to forgive me for leaving but she has a right to know the truth. Same with Summer and Emma” replied Paige, tears once again making her brown eyes shimmer at having to say goodbye to the three members of her family who hadn’t done anything to hurt her in any way. She knew Summer would ask god knows how many questions, Emma would probably be angry but eventually understand why she had done it, where as Kaia would be the one to suffer the most, Paige had always been there as an older sister, then with the chaos taking over they had been parted. That now seemed to be a more permanent thing, she didn’t know how Kaia would act especially when she was older and understand it more. “I just hope she understands one day why I chose to do this, I hope she understands it wasn’t because of anything she did” added Paige failing completely to hold back her tears, Renee quickly pulling her into a comforting embrace although she had tears in her own eyes, seeing how much Paige cared for her younger sister and how much it hurt her to have to say goodbye to her two cousins and little sister.


	14. Chapter 14 - End Of Their Peace

“Do you think anyone would think to look this close to Orlando for any of us?” asked Corey, finding it amusing how Paige had moved everyone near enough 85 miles away to Tampa, although she had allowed Zarah to say in Orlando since she was much more comfortable there. Corey had found what she had done rather amusing, allowing the family members who hadn’t done anything to her to find her if they wished even leaving a coded message for them to inform them where she was but not to tell the man she had lost all trust in, she was determined one way or another he was going to get what he wanted. In her eyes the only way he could get that was if she wasn’t there as a permanent reminder of the past and all of his guilt. 

“Probably not, although she did leave clues to where she was going in the letter to Summer and Emma, knowing they would figure it out, along with asking them not to tell her father where she has gone if they did work it out. Plus everything seems okay here, all the moves are over and done with, the penthouses are complete as is the new base. All we have to do now is wait for our orders” responded Finn, he was surprisingly okay with leaving Orlando, since he had only moved there in the first place to keep watch on Paige, since he had all but said he was in service to her then he would go wherever she did, so if that meant he had to leave the country then so be it. He had helped to get everything ready for the HQ, even watching over the work men to make sure everything was done to specification along with Corey, as normal the Wyatt’s keeping watch outside of the building to make sure no one acting suspicious got anywhere near to anyone. 

“Guys, business meeting” called Paige from the dinning room door, the others she had assigned to her council were already around the table. Dean and Renee next to each other, where as Becky, Charlotte, AJ, Karl and Luke were also scattered around the table, Seth was close to Paige as he normally was. Both Corey and Finn looked to each other before making their way to the room, taking their place in the two empty seats around the table, knowing this was going to be important. “So as I said when I first assembled this council, every idea I had would go through you. Its time to talk about what we are going to do with Knight’s Raven, all suggestions are welcome. The idea or ideas with the most logical sense or votes behind it is what we go for. So if you have any suggestions on what we do with it now is the time to speak up” spoke Paige, informing them the discussion they had been waiting for was about to happen. She quickly scanned the room looking for any sort of uncertainty besides her own, being met only with confident and reassuring smiles 

“You said once you wanted to make it for everyone. So why not stir it away from the illegal end of things and turn it to something respectable in the community” replied Becky, her red hair up in a loose ponytail, with a single braid going down the right side. She had listened to some of Paige’s ideas as well as read over some of them she had written down, to her there was only one sensible option although she had a feeling Corey would opted to stay in the illegal side, since it was the only thing he really knew. “Each of us have our own ideas but its what you decide that matters, hopefully with all of us together we can get Knight’s Raven to where you want it to be, where you can be proud of it” added Becky, knowing it was ultimately up to Paige and her decisions that decided what happened with the company, all of them could say their suggestions but she was the one who say yes or no to them. 

“All of you have business ideas, so write them down with the general idea what it is and then come back to me in a week or so. From there we will carry on this conversation. Also please specify which side of the law the business will be on in case we need to come up with a cover for it” responded Paige, a smile on her lips as she spoke and watched the others nod. She soon watched as they began to leave the dinning room, although she stayed seated to look over some of the plans they had made since leaving Orlando, she knew Becky was passionate about opening her own store and starting her own fashion line. Just as she was aware Charlotte had hopes of opening her own line or restaurants. Where as Renee wanted to have her own business, she knew each of the members on her council had their own hopes and dreams. 

“You okay?” asked Seth coming to stand behind her, placing both of his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to give her a soothing shoulder rub. The two had grown closer over the few weeks since they had moved to Tampa, she no longer worried what other secrets her father was keeping from her just as Seth himself no longer worried about losing someone he loved or Roman turning on them, mainly because the entire council had voted not to inform him or Zarah of where they were going, instead they had given them contact information with a phone number and email address but that was it. “You got that feeling again?” added Seth, he was thankful she had been truthful with him, just after moving to Tampa, she had told him she had a feeling something was going to happen, but didn’t know whether it was good or bad. He had taken it rather seriously since everything happened and Roman turning against them in the past. 

“Yeah, its like something bad is going to happen but I don’t know when or to whom” replied Paige, taking hold of Seth hand in a gentle manner and placing a soft kiss there. She soon rested her head on his hand, feeling more relaxed than she was a few seconds before. It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the mansion door, to which both Seth and Paige looked up and towards the black glossed doors. Seth quickly bringing up the footage of the outside up to see if the person was a threat or not, there he seen a chirpy blond, her hair in loose waves as her make up was done perfectly, she seemed proud of something although what was a mystery to them, although Seth noticed the smile that come to Paige’s lips. “It’s Summer, and it looks like she is here to stay for a while” spoke Paige typing in the code so the door would open, Summer cautiously stepped inside since she noticed no one had opened the door for her. 

“Hey Summer, its good to see you again although a bit of a surprise” spoke Seth when he went to greet her, the familiar smile of Summer’s come to her painted lips at seeing someone she recognised although she appeared stunned to see what the place her cousin now called home looked like. Her father in Kane had informed her and Emma of the business Paige owned and now ran but she hadn’t expected it to allow her to have such a luxurious place to call home, she would being lying if she said she thought it would be smaller. It wasn’t long before Paige appeared, accepting the hug Summer offered her, knowing the blond wouldn’t be there without a good reason to be. Summer knew eventually she would have to explain but at the moment she was happy to be in the company of her cousin, one of which she cared for dearly. 

“I’m so happy you’re okay. Uncle Mark and dad received a letter at the police station, they don’t know who sent it but they said they were after something dear to them both. There was a picture of you and Seth here in the envelope” spoke Summer when she had ended the hug and holding her cousin at arms length. She had thought the worst happened when her father told her and Emma as well as their mother about the letter, informing them Paige was once again the target of something. “It gets worse, the Evolution members were broken out of a maximum security prison three days ago, Dad is pretty convinced it was one of them who sent it, due to it having the previous address of Princess Mansion written on it as well as the name Tyler Black on the back” added Summer seeing the way both Paige and Seth looked at each other, she could see the concern and worry flash across their features especially as it would mean their peaceful existence had just come to a screeching end. 

“I’ll go phone Zarah, let her know the place may come under attack” spoke Paige, silently thanking Summer for warning them of what was likely to come. She also knew that could potentially mean the two former members of the Shield and likely Roman going on the run again, Shane would no doubt hunt them until he got what he wanted, mostly likely using the ones the three loved the most as a way of drawing them to a specific place so he could tie up the loose ends once and for all. “I’ll warn Dean at the same time” added Paige before walking towards the living room where she knew both Dean and Renee would be, Seth could only watch her walk away having a feeling there was more to it than Summer was letting on, although he knew she would likely tell Paige when it was just the two girls rather than in front of everyone. 

“Hey Zarah, Its Paige” spoke Paige when she had gone into the little office after informing Dean who had now joined Seth and Summer in the hall. “My cousin has just come by to inform me that the Evolution members have been broken out of the high secure facility they were being kept in, they sent a letter to my dad and uncle with Seth’s previous name on and the address of Princess Mansion” added Paige, already knowing from Zarah’s voice she knew what that meant, just as she knew what the price of her son’s safety was likely to be. “Yeah, I don’t know what they are going to do but I can get either Seth or Dean to phone once they have sorted everything” finished Paige hearing Zarah’s response before they said their goodbyes for the time being. Paige felt for the older woman, she hadn’t long given birth to her son, now her happiness could be destroyed by those who had escaped from their place of holding. 

At Evolution Headquarters, Stephanie, Hunter, Shane and Cena had met up with their other loyal employees or at least the ones who didn’t scattered upon their sentencing. The four had been informed all of their equipment had been seized so all of their current hideouts and safe houses were known to the police and the brothers of destruction, although they had sent a letter to the pair in the hopes it would sway them from hunting them for the time being. At this moment in time, Batista was catching the four up on everything that had happened over the time since they had been behind bars, which ones had stayed loyal to them and helped to break them out and which had ran away to save themselves. He had also given them the information on what had been taken and what they would have to do to move on since everything had been compromised when they were arrested. 

“There’s one more thing” spoke Batista, keeping his face expressionless like he was playing a game of poker or some kind of betting game. “Paige and all of those connected to Knight’s Raven disappeared a few weeks ago. She got confirmation that her father was responsible for her mother’s death, then she and the rest of Knight’s Raven just vanished over night. No one knows where they have gone. Not even her own father knows where she is” added Batista revealing the woman they seen as their enemy had disappeared over night, since then there had been no trace of her or anyone who was part of the company she owned. “We have also sent a letter to the brothers of destruction with a picture of Seth and Paige in the hopes it would keep them at bay for the time being. Maybe they could lead us to them” finished Batista revealing although he wasn’t them he had been in control of the company and kept it going while they were behind bars. 

“So we have to completely redo everything, as well as find Knight’s Raven again and find those boys, anything else?” spoke Shane, at least thankful someone both Stephanie and Hunter trusted had kept Evolution going so they had something to come back to. Batista soon slid a file across the table to Shane, watching as the older man opened it and smiled at what he was seeing and the words he was reading. “So one of them is still here, interesting. Does he know where they have gone?” continued Shane, smiling when he seen the picture of Roman inside as well as reading that he was still in the city, along with the woman he had called his own and their newborn son. He was also amused to see the small family of three called Princess Mansion home, although he knew it would be a challenge to get into, the place was near enough impossible to get into last time when they had paid the property a visit. They had been met with the Wyatt’s as well revealing they were indeed back with the people who they were truly loyal to. 

“It appears although the three hounds are on speaking terms again, the other two still don’t trust Roman enough to tell him where they have uprooted to. Although he does appear to have contact with them still” replied Batista playing a recording of Roman on the phone to one of the other hounds a few days prior. “We bugged his car, he has a phone number for them, with luck maybe we can track it if we can get it off him” added Batista revealing they had the smart idea to bug Roman’s car in the hopes they would hear any information or gain leads to finding where the rest of them were. They had worked out although he didn’t personally know where the remaining two hounds had gone to, he did have a phone number to contact them on. Like the member of Evolution before him, he knew Roman would once again be at use to them, even if he was unwilling to do so at first, they knew they could use his new born son and the mother of that said son as leverage against him. 

“I’ll go and pay Roman a visit. Give him an ultimatum, either help us get to them or lose his lover and son” spoke Shane, about to walk from the darkened room, but stopped when Stephanie grabbed hold of his arm as he passed and gave him the sternest look she could muster, reminding him of the rule they had put in place. “Okay I will give him the ultimatum either help us or become a single father” added Shane, knowing his sister was rather strict when it come to the rule of leaving children out of it, she had been like that since she had become a mother herself, with Hunter reinforcing it by making a deadly example out of anyone who dared to break the rule. After changing his words Stephanie let go of his arms allowing him to leave and question Roman on what he knew of the whereabouts when it come to the others hounds. 

“That boy doesn’t deserve to pay for the actions of his father, he deserves to live a normal life or as normal one could have while growing up in our world” spoke Hunter, he knew if the roles were reversed he would be in agony knowing his girls could pay for his mistakes, he wouldn’t know what to do with himself so he had helped Stephanie to reinforce the rule to leave expecting mothers and children out of their troubles, thrust giving the expecting mothers less stress to worry over and the children as normal life as they could have. He knew the newborn would be safe until he was much older, although the same couldn’t be said for the newborns mother. Both Stephanie and Hunter knew what Shane was capable of, just as they knew if Roman wanted to keep his happy family then he would have to help them in order to not end up as a single father, something they expected he didn’t want considering all the trouble he had gone through to get Zarah back in the first place. 

“Anything else?” asked Stephanie, wondering if there was anything else she and Hunter should know before they get to work on finding where those who are part of Knight’s Raven had gone to and setting up their new safe houses and hideouts in case they should ever need any of them. Plus she was aware Cena had wanted to return to Nikki, although she suspected the woman wouldn’t be too happy to see him in response, considering the horrible truths she had found out when he had been locked behind bars. She had feeling the woman in question was no longer in the home both she and Cena had shared for so many years, if she had to guess then she would say Nikki had probably returned to her home state or gone to stay with her twin sister until she could get herself back on her feet again. 

“Nikki left after finding out what John had been up to. She packed her bags, handed in her resignation and left, didn’t leave any forwarding address or contact details. All former information no longer works, she cancelled her contract phone and deleted her email, she’s gone off grid to the point she has completely erased her internet footprint” responded Batista, confirming what Stephanie had thought had indeed happened although the woman in question had done it on a much larger scale than she had expected, realising they couldn’t find her through social media she had deleted all of it and moved away to prevent having to deal with the man she had once loved and who she thought loved her. John could only look down at hearing Nikki wasn’t there like he had hoped. He wanted to talk to her about it and put things right but instead she had given up on fixing things and walked away, without even saying a goodbye or telling anyone where she was going. He knew she could be anywhere now. 

“Alright. Batista see if you can find where Paige and the rest of Knight’s Raven have gotten to, ask her parents if you have to in a friendly way. Cena leave Nikki be, if she doesn’t want to be part of any of this or have anything to do with you then respect her wishes. Me and Steph will work on the safe houses, we need someone to keep an eye on Shane to make sure that boy is left unharmed and also need someone to work on the hideouts so that we are all set for when we do finally come across Miss Knight again” spoke Hunter giving out the orders on what they were going to do and also giving John some advice, he knew if Nikki had handed in her resignation from Evolution then there was nothing they could do, she was no longer apart of their little family so to speak, and had chosen to disappear although he suspected that Batista may have helped with that out of guilt and pity for her, plus he had considered her a close friend. It wasn’t long before Cena left the room, saying he would keep an eye on Shane for the time being. “Where did she go?” asked Hunter knowing Batista knew where she had gone. 

“Went to stay with her sister Brie in Washington DC. She wrote this note before she went and made me promise I wouldn’t tell Cena where she was going” responded Batista, revealing he had indeed helped Nikki disappear so she could find who she was again and heal from the heartbreak she had endured upon finding out what the man who held her heart had been doing and some of the things he had told her being false including their engagement. Which she had quickly ended before leaving. “She’ll come back when she is ready, but for now she is happy to stay as far from John and Carmella as possible. She wont come back until Carmella is gone” added Batista revealing Nikki indeed knew who her ex-fiancée's mistress is and refusing to come back until that said mistress was gone. 

Back at Paige’s mansion, Seth and Dean were in the downstairs office talking about what they were going to do now that Shane was out. They knew they had to do something just as they knew their protection of not being in Orlando would only last for a little while longer. Both of them also knew if they stayed they would be putting those they loved and those they considered friends in danger, especially if they happened to be found while still in the area. They also knew it was only a matter of time before Shane turned his attention to Roman and used something as leverage against him, hence the older Samoan would once again turn on them and leaving them vulnerable to attacks and losing the people they loved the most. 

“We have to do it. I know its gonna be hard considering you and Paige have just gotten serious with your relationship but its the only way” spoke Dean, a frown coming to his lips as he remembered what Renee had told him days before, how his happy marriage was going to be going further as she was expecting their first child. He knew the odds of him being their through her pregnancy as he had once promised would be low as would the odds of him being their at the birth of their child, yet he knew he would have to leave in order to protect her and any future they may have together. “Hopefully they will understand why we left. Renee is gonna kill me. She told me the other day she’s pregnant, even showed me the dozen tests she took” added Dean, revealing why he was saddened to have to leave, Seth could only offer a quiet congratulations knowing Dean would officially have more to lose than both himself and Roman. 

“I don’t want to leave her” responded Seth looking at the bracelet he wore, Paige wore the matching one on her right wrist. Both of their names were engraved on the silver cuffs that held the piece of jewellery around their wrist. “I don’t want to break her heart. I can’t” added Seth, knowing Dean of all people would understand, after all Dean had to leave once before, returning several months later to a rather angry Renee who refused to speak to him for days after his return, their only communication being through text message or letter. He knew if he left Paige now she would once again be shattered and he would be breaking his promise to her. “I promise her I would be with her until the end. I promised her I would never hurt her, I love her Dean, how am I supposed to tell her I have to leave her behind when she means everything to me. How am I supposed to break her heart in a kind way?” asked Seth, speaking of the promises he made to Paige for the first time and admitting he loved her. Dean could see the tears welling up in Seth’s eyes as he continued and the thought of leaving Paige becoming more of a reality. 

“Its the only way. If we stay then both are in more danger. I hate the fact I have to leave Renee again, when she is expecting of all times but I know its the only way to ensure she wont be used as a porn in Shane’s game to catch us. Its the only way to ensure she wont be made to suffer to cause me pain. Yes Paige is gonna be mad because you broke your promises, yes she’s going to be hurt about it but your doing it to protect her from Shane. Your doing this because you love her to the point you can’t standing the thought of anything happening to her” responded Dean knowing Seth loved Paige in the same way he loved Renee. He had finally found that one person he would do anything for, seeing the pain in his eyes at having to leave her, and how his own heart broke at having to say goodbye to her gave it away. Seth could only nod before leaving the room, opting to spend one last night with the raven haired princess before leaving for a while, he hoped it wouldn’t be too long but knew nothing was certain when it come to Shane. 

The next morning come around quickly. Seth woke up to the sound of the birds chirping outside, to which he smiled sadly at what he and Dean had planned to do in order to protect those they loved. He quickly got dressed, packing a few clothes in a rucksack, before placing the letter he had tearfully wrote to Paige the night before on the beside table next to her, as well as taking off his favourite chain and placing it around her neck, he also made sure to take the key chain she turned into a necklace with him. Once he had done that he placed a single kiss on her temple after whispering I love you and leaving. Making sure to pick up the mobile phone that was connected to the number they had given to Roman and Zarah. Both Seth and Dean met at the front doors of the mansion, each of them with all the necessary things they would need for being on the run, both looking back as they reached the gates of the mansion, knowing what they were leaving behind were safe inside soundly asleep. 

Dear Paige, 

I know this is going to be hard for you to read this. Almost as hard as it is for me to write this now. Since Shane has been broken out of prison, he will most likely turn his attention to Roman in order to find out where the rest of us have gone to. He wont stop until both myself and Dean are dead. So in order to protect you from him and the suffering he will force on you if he finds you, I am leaving the mansion along with Dean, and the phone which Shane will probably track. 

I know your going to be angry at me for breaking my promises to you and no doubt hate me for it, but please understand that it is for the best. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, nor would I do anything to put you in danger, this is me being your protector and love. This is me doing what is necessary to keep you safe and out of harms way. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you or if you got hurt because of me, and I honestly don’t want to find out. 

I make you these new promises now though. I promise you no matter what I will always find my way back to you. I will always love you Paige, I know now I didn’t go to Orlando by some sort of coincidence I was suppose to go there, I was supposed to find you. No matter what I will always come back, I will always know who I am fighting for. You’re the best part of me Paige, you’re where my future lies and I will do whatever it takes to make you happy again. I don’t know when I will be back, but when I do I wont leave again unless you want me to. I know I’m likely to hurt you by suddenly leaving so when I return I will spend every day for the rest of my life making it up to you. 

I will return to you my princess. Just so I don’t forget who I am fighting for and hoping to return to I have taken your keyring which you turn into a necklace, but I also keep the bracelet we both share around my wrist. Just as I leave my chain with you, so you know that I will come back to you. Be strong my princess and have faith that everything will turn out okay. I know you can do anything you put your mind to, so please don’t give up on anything and become the woman I know you are. 

With love and tears   
Your Architect Seth Rollins 

“You leave a letter for her?” asked Dean, remembering seeing Seth writing something the night before, he soon received his reply in the form of a nod to which he had a hint of a smile come to his lips. Before remember who he was leaving behind and what he was going to be missing out on. He knew when he was finally reunited with Renee again she would be angry like last time, as like Seth he only left her with a letter. It was at that point Dean noticed the normal chain Seth would wear had been replaced with the thin piece of black string or something, he knew near enough instantly he had taken Paige’s necklace as way to remember who he was fighting for and who he hoped to be with when he got back home, which would also mean Seth had left his own chain in replacement of the necklace he had taken. “Paige’s necklace?” asked Dean wondering if there was a reason he had taken it, as well as wishing he had gotten something of Renee’s before leaving besides the permanent reminder in the former of a wedding ring and the tattoo that resided under it. 

“So I have something of hers, every time I look at it I remember who I am leaving behind, I remember the person I’m doing this to protect and the one I hope to be with when we go back home. I know the bracelets should have been a reminder but I just wanted something that’s hers rather than something that we both have” responded Seth, explaining why he had the necklace in the first place since he had noticed the questioning tone in Dean’s voice when he said Paige’s necklace. It wasn’t long before the phone in Seth’s pocket went off, Dean quickly picking upon which one it was and also noticing Roman’s name pop up on it. “I took it to ensure Shane wouldn’t find the girls. Figured we could ditch it somewhere so we could go home” added Seth revealing he had taken the phone with the intention of getting rid of it and hopefully leading Shane astray for a while. Dean could only nod before pressing the answer button on the phone, hearing Roman on the other side, his voice frantic and filled with what they could guess was terror, the pair could also hear his son in the background. 

“Seth, Dean. I know this is bad time but I really do need your help. Shane stopped by the other day, he gave me an ultimatum” spoke Roman, his voice almost booming through the phone like he wasn’t in the place he should be or it was pre-recorded. Especially when both men noticed the code at the start of every call was suspiciously missing. “What’s the code Roman?” asked Dean, his suspicions getting the better of him, especially when they heard another voice that both recognised instantly. “Okay since that didn’t work, I’ll give you two the same choice I gave Roman, who’s still alive by the way although probably regretting testing my will. Any way's if you two don’t hand yourselves over to me, I will go after Renee and Paige. Since you two are no doubt with the pretty ladies right now” spoke Shane, making the two worry for what Roman had gone through although smirking slightly that they had outsmarted the man who had effectively hunted them for years. “You think we’re stupid enough to put our loved ones in danger when we know what your capable off. Roman may have been daft enough to stay when he found out you were free from you little cell but that doesn’t mean me and Seth were. We know the risks and knew you were a far bigger threat than anything else. So you want us Shane, come get us” responded Dean before hanging up the phone and giving back to Seth who tucked the phone back in his jacket pocket. 

“Do you think it will work?” asked Seth wondering if his plan actually had a chance of working or if it would just make their former employer more angry. Although he knew there was a chance, he had to hope it would successful work out, he knew if it didn’t then all three of them could end up alone once again, something he didn’t particularly want to go back to just as he was sure Dean didn’t, there were unsure about Roman although he had shown particular fondness for Zarah. Dean could only looked at Seth with hope that their plan would work, he knew if it didn’t then the odds of them going home to the people they loved would be low. “I was going to ask her to marry me” finished Seth, remembering what he had been planning, although it had been less than a year since they had met and began a relationship, he knew he loved the raven haired princess. The way she made him feel, the general happiness he felt around her as well as the aura of peacefulness and euphoria, the smile that come to his lips just thinking about her, he knew she was the one he wanted to spend his life with. 

“If we make it back home, go for it. I’ve seen the effects Paige has on you. Its like your back to your old self before we were on the run, back when we didn’t have anything to worry about, before the hell Shane brought on us, before Zarah, before Evolution and way before Roman even thought of turning on us. She’s good for you, so if we do make it back home, promise me you wont mess things up with her” responded Dean, a small smile coming to his lips at thinking about attending the wedding of his best friend, although he could imagine there wouldn’t be horror in Seth’s eyes but excitement on what was to come and marrying the person he had perceived to be his soul mate, as well as getting to call her his own. “Promise me you wont tell Renee or anyone but I’m afraid of being a dad” continued Dean opening up to Seth much like the younger man was doing with him. He knew he could trust the younger Iowan with anything. 

“Because of how you grew up?” asked Seth, seeing Dean nod as he remembered the Ohio native telling him and Roman about his upbringing when they were in the black ops together. It was sad to say the least, hence why they had stuck together for so long. “You wont be like that Dean, I know you, you wont let that child grow up the same way you did, plus you know Renee wouldn’t let it happen either. You’ll be a good dad, you have so much passion and love. You just need to believe in yourself. Look how far you have come since we first met. Back then you didn’t even consider the idea of being in a relationship let alone having your own family, now here you are all these years later, married to a beautiful woman who loves you for who you are, expecting your first child” finished Seth giving Dean the confidence boost to realise he would be a good father to his children, all he had to do was believe he could do it, just as he was sure Renee already did. 

“Thanks buddy” replied Dean, a small smile coming to his lips at being reminded how far he had come and knowing what the future could hold. “Let get through this so I can get home to my wife and mother to be and you can get back to the princess you want to call wife” added Dean, knowing whatever happened with Roman, he would get himself out of the trouble, after all he was the only one of the three to be safe from their former employee, having thrown the pair of them under the bus months ago to get what he wanted and gaining his own freedom. They knew if anyone could leave without harm then it was their Samoan friend, although the same couldn’t be said for Zarah. She was after all the key to making Roman suffer without actually physically touching him. “We have hope, and something to look forward to upon returning home, that should be enough to see us through our time on the run” finished Dean, hoping they wouldn’t be gone more than a few weeks, although he had feeling it would be much longer than either man wanted to be away and on the run for.


	15. Chapter 15 - Reunited

“I can believe we have been on the run for almost twelve months” spoke Roman, remembering when he had joined up with the pair of Dean and Seth, they had be reluctant to do so at first then thought better of it when they realised his son and Zarah would be in more danger. To the Samoan it felt like old times, on the run together from a common enemy. Back before either of them started the business or before they had met the person they wanted to settle down with. He knew both of them were missing home, they missed what they had and the people they loved. Just as both of them knew they were doing what they were for a reason, despite missing out on so much since running all over the country, Mexico and Canada to lure Shane away from them. “I wonder how everything is back home?” added Roman, although he had been with them for twelve months he was still unaware of what Dean had truly missed out on. 

“Paige is probably still angry at Seth for breaking his promises but still running her company, Zarah god knows since you pretty much up and left her with your son without so much as a goodbye, so hating you would be my guess and Renee, I’m guessing occupied with our child, he or she would be four months now” responded Dean revealing for the first time that his wife was pregnant when he left to run, he knew Roman was shock to say the least where as Seth felt sympathy for him, especially when Dean didn’t know if he had a son or a daughter, he didn’t even know what the name of the child was and he had missed out on everything so far when it come to the said child. “I just hope she hasn’t given up on any of us, I don’t think I could bare it if she had moved on with her life” added Dean knowing there was a chance after so long, the others would believe they had been caught and killed, he hoped with everything that wasn’t the case as no matter what his heart belonged to Renee.

“They haven’t well at least two of them haven’t” came a rather familiar voice to the three of them, for Roman it brought back memories he would rather forget, where as for Seth and Dean, hearing Corey’s voice was a sign of hope. “Got orders from the Princess to bring you three back to Tampa, and yes Dean there is a little girl waiting to meet you there” added Corey, revealing he wasn’t there to give any sort of update on how the others were doing, but to take them home again, as well as inform Dean that he was indeed the father of a little girl. Corey held out a little picture of the girl to Dean, seeing how the man in question took it with such care, a smile spreading across his lips at seeing his wife and daughter, he quickly spotted her blond hair and hazel eyes. 

“Paige sent you?” asked Roman confused as to why she would send someone to fetch them when she knew the dangers of them returning so soon, especially when Shane was at large. “Shane is still out there, it will be too dangerous for us to come home so soon” added the Samoan quickly tying his hair up in a bun at the back of his skull. If he was honest he didn’t want to go back home just yet, he was enjoying the time he had with Seth and Dean slowly rebuilding the relationship he once had with them. Plus he knew Zarah wouldn’t be happy to see him after he left her with their new born son without explaining anything or even saying goodbye to her. 

“Wait what do you mean two of them haven’t given up hope?” asked Dean just catching on to what he meant, he could at least find reassurance that Renee hadn’t due to her hand writing a message on the back of the photo saying how much she loved and missed him, he knew that meant either Paige had but sent Corey as a curtisy or Zarah had given up hope. Either way he knew it would be devastating for the one in which hope had been lost for. “Who gave up hope on seeing us again?” added Dean, he had a feeling he knew it was, although he could see the dread appearing on Seth’s features at just the thought of having to live without Paige, especially when she had been the reason he had held on for so long. Even Roman had uncertainty in his eyes about the current situation. 

“Zarah, about two months ago she said she was going to move on with her life. She packed everything up and left, she only told one person where she was going and left a note for you Roman” responded Corey explaining Zarah had left after ten months of waiting, just as he could see the relief come to the eyes of Seth and Dean at knowing they were wouldn’t have to mend a broken heart. “The car is waiting, be going back to Architect’s Armoury for the time being, Renee has been staying there with Paige this whole time” added Corey revealing which mansion in Tampa they would be going to and where Renee had been staying, he could see the small smile come to Dean’s features at realising she wasn’t alone when going through her pregnancy, just as he made a mental note to thank Paige. 

“Where did she go?” asked Roman, finally being able to form words and asked where his baby momma had gone to, he also dreaded reading the note she had left for him, knowing it would show her raw emotions towards him, and show just how much he had no doubt hurt her by disappearing in the night. He knew on in that sense Seth and Dean were right, they had both left letters to the ones they loved, Seth even taking Paige’s necklace with him and leaving his own chain to give her reassurance he would return to her. Corey could only lead them to the car and shake his head at the same time, not being able to answer the simple question due to the person she had told going missing a few days before hand. 

“We don’t know, the person she told went missing a few days ago. We suspect Shane is behind the disappearance. Paige also sent me to get you due to Evolution sending teams after you. You three will be safer in the mansions, she’s made some upgrades to them in the last twelve months” responded Corey revealing Paige had been keeping an eye on the situation despite being heartbroken, instead of being angry she had focused on Renee and what she had needed, in this case the father of her daughter. “Your daughter’s name is Freya by the way. The name you said you wanted to call a daughter” added Corey directing the last part to Dean, seeing the man get into the front of the car and once again look at the picture, finally knowing the name of his little girl. 

“How are the girls doing?” asked Seth, speaking up for the first time. He didn’t know what to expect but was thankful Paige never gave up, if it wasn’t for her keeping an eye on things then they would have ran into the trap which was no doubt waiting for them. He also knew Renee would probably be delighted to see her husband once again and get some well deserved rest since she had no doubt been looking after her daughter non stop since she was born. He was kind of excited about being able to go back to the place his heart was after spending so long away from it and the woman in which he had called his own. He also knew there was a high chance Roman would despise being in the mansion, due to having to be around those who were happy and had something he could only desire. 

“They’re doing okay, Paige keeping Knight’s Raven going keeping all of us happy. She agreed to keep the illegal side of it going on the condition I be the one to keep it under control. All the business ideas have been successful so far. She gets down once in a while, mainly from missing you, AJ mentioned she cried herself to sleep, every night for the first six months. Where as Renee has had her hands full with baby Freya, Charlotte takes over when Renee needs rest. She has also been running her own little internet business as well as making a little book for Dean so he can see everything upon returning. Again she was heartbroken but was thankful you left her a letter to explain everything. As far Zarah, she was angry when she found out you had left, she initially thought you were on a job somewhere but realised after a month or so that you weren’t coming back. She tried searching for you, but when she couldn’t find any sign you were okay, she began to get angry at you for leaving her to raise your son on her own, eventually she gave up and left” replied Corey in response and revealing Zarah had taken it the hardest when it come to finding out the man she loved had left her. She had no way of knowing he was alright due to him not taking his mobile phone with him. 

At Architect’s Armoury, Paige was currently in the living room with Renee, the four month old in the play pen for the time being. Both women patiently waiting for the message to say that the boys had been found and were on their way back. After all it had been almost two weeks since Paige had sent Corey along with the Wyatt’s to go and bring them home, Karl and Luke had informed her of the plans Evolution had been putting in place as well as the locations these traps would be. Every time the ring tone sounded or the phone dinged both women hope got stronger, even if they were let down by it just being a notification or someone calling about something else. They knew they couldn’t give up hope now and just wanted to see the people they loved again. Twelve months of just looking at photographs didn’t do much in comparison of being able to see them in person, hear their voices and laughter or even hold them in a bone crushing hug. All the photographs had done was remind them of what they no longer had. 

“He’s got them” excitedly expressed Paige once she had checked her phone after it had dinged, she could see the uncertainty in Renee’s eyes turn to nerves and excitement. The raven haired princess knew what the Canadian worried about, knowing she was uncertain of how her husband would take to their daughter and vice versa. “Come on Renee, you have looked forward to this from the moment they left, nothing is going to go wrong if it does then you have me here to help you put things right again” added Paige attempting to give the new mother the encouragement she was clearly in need of, especially when she seen the way Renee looked over to where Freya lay in the play pen, attempting to bat the toys dangling above her, she clearly enjoyed the sound of the bells when she hit them. 

“I know, you’ve been so helpful over the past twelve months or so, helping me out with Freya and making sure she has everything she needs, all while running Knight’s Raven, entertaining your cousin, mending your own broken heart and making sure the rest of us have a safe place to call home and a business to run. You really are an amazing woman, you deserve you happiness too Paige” replied Renee, knowing despite all the pain and heartbreak Paige had remained strong and had done what was necessary for those who called her boss. She had even granted the wish of both Becky and Charlotte and allowed Bayley and Sasha to join them thrust reuniting the four horse woman. The four also running their own business thankful for all the help Paige had granted them. 

Back in Orlando, Summer had returned from her trip. Although she had told her parents and sister it was a trip with friends she knew that rouse wasn’t going to last much longer, due to one of the people she was supposed to be away with had been collared by her father and questions, she knew he could be relentless when he wanted and no doubt knew wherever she had gone it wasn’t with friends. She knew she would be in for a lot of questioning, her uncle Mark no doubt interested in her whereabouts as well. He had been looking for his oldest daughter since she had disappeared during the night over a year prior. Not leaving any information on her whereabouts at least not for him to find. 

“Summer” called Kane from the living room, when she entered the large family area, she was meant with her father standing in front of the fire place, looking at the family photos that were placed there. Each showing a different family member at a different point in time. She knew the one in which he held in his hands was the one of when she, Emma and Paige were in high school, the three of them with wide smiles on their lips as they stood in front of the amusement park, excited for the days events and the inevitable fun they were going to have. “Where we you?” asked Kane, turning to face her, the flames of the fire lighting up parts of his face in an unnerving way, to the point Summer felt a shiver go up her spine, from then she knew she was in trouble. “I know you weren’t with Natalya, Eva or Jo-Jo so where were you?” finished Kane, making it clear he knew she wasn’t with the people she had told him and her mother she was with. Just as he could see a hint of a smile on Summer’s lips, no doubt from the amusement of how she was a grown adult and he could still scare her a little when he needed to. 

“To see Paige” quietly responded Summer, just louder than a whisper as he wiped a hand through her shiny golden locks. She knew instantly the anger he had towards had disappeared being replaced with curiosity to learn one of his girls knew where Paige was. “I deciphered the letter she sent, she’s still here in Florida, but refuses to be anywhere near uncle Mark due to her being convinced she is a permanent reminder of his past and the guilt he has” added Summer explaining she had found the code in Paige’s letter and worked out where her cousin had gone to,. She knew there would be a lot of questions heading her way. 

“Is she okay?” asked Kane, knowing Paige didn’t want to be found and had thrust not asked where she was living now, he knew it would kill his brother to know she was so close and still in the state, yet not being able to contact her in any way. “Is she happy?” added Kane, despite Paige being his niece he still looked upon her as another daughter and would accept her wishes even if he didn’t agree with them, he knew there wasn’t anything he could do to bring her home again. So he was content on knowing if she was okay and happy where she currently resided. He knew his own oldest daughter in Summer was quite literally the only link any of them had to the Raven haired beauty now, something that was much better than what they had for the last year or so. 

“She’s fine, has protection there if anyone attempts anything. She lives comfortably in a rather luxurious mansion, and is content on running Knight’s Raven, from what I can tell she and her council had steered it away from the illegal side of things. She has also been helping a close friend of hers out and also given loans to all those in her close circle so they can start there own business off” responded Summer, answering the first question her father asked, informing him of how different Paige was now, how much braver and confident she was. “She’s a little heartbroken at the moment due to her lover being forced to run near enough a year ago, he wrote a letter to her before leaving so she knew why. She still has hope he will come back to her, he even left his favourite chain with her so she knew he would come back” continued Summer, a smile coming to her features at remembering what her former protector turned lover had done to keep her safe and give her reassurance that he intended to come back to her. It wasn’t long before she began to search through her phone for the selfie she had taken with Paige while on her most recent trip. 

“Can you send this to me?” asked Kane upon seeing the smiling picture of Summer and Paige, he had noticed she had become so much more confident in who she was compared what she had previously been, she wasn’t a scared child any more, but a strong willed woman who would do what she had to in order to protect those she loved dearly. “I’m gonna get it framed so we can add it to the others. And I’m not going to ask her exact location, I respect her wishes of not wanting to be found and know she will contact us when she is ready to, if she ever is” spoke Kane revealing why he wanted the picture, Summer could only smile and nod knowing her uncle Mark was going to take it the hardest, especially when his missing daughter was so close yet refused to contact him or even reveal herself to him. 

“I promise you she is safe dad. Believe me no one can get into the mansion without being in the system or being let in, that place can stand a nuclear blast” spoke Summer seeing the smile come to her father’s lips at learning her cousin was probably the safest person in the family. She could also see the confusion on how the mansion was so safe. “There is hand print recognition and a code to get through the front door, the windows are bullet and blast proof, there is a safety bunker in the basement, and an active security system that informs anyone in the house is someone has entered without authorisation and where they entered from. Not to mention there is always someone in the house keeping an eye on the camera’s and an entire armoury in case anything happens” added Summer revealing just how protected the house was, she had personally never seen anything like it, yet loved how her cousin had made it her own home and safe haven. 

With Corey and the three men that made up the hounds, they had just entered Tampa’s borders, Corey smiled at being back in the place he had called home for the last year or so, plus he could hear Dean’s breath hitch upon reading the sign that welcomed them to the city of Tampa. Seth on the other hand looked out the widow almost in excitement, at finally being able to reunite with the people he loved so much, he had spent the last twelve months in some of the worst conditions now he just wanted to be able to hold Paige in his arms instead of looking at the necklace or remembering the happier times they had together or imagining what the future could be like had he not gone on the run. 

“He’s just excited to be able to actually touch Paige again, rather than imagine what future could be in store. Considering he was going to ask Paige to marry him before we had to leave” spoke Dean, a cheeky grin coming to his lips especially when he felt Seth hit the back of his seat. Roman however looked on in confusion, showing Corey he hadn’t been informed of what Seth once had planned or had wanted to do. Seth’s slight frustration soon turned into a bright smile as they neared the mansion in which he had once called home and had hoped to again. He would happily admit how much he had truly missed the woman he loved and just how much he realised he was lost without her. “We should be there soon right?” asked Dean, he knew they weren’t too far from the mansion, even now he could remember its location as well as being able to enter the said mansion without much trouble due to his hand print being in the system. 

“We’re here” responded Corey, a smile on his lips as they passed through the main gates and also noticing the rather sarcastic sign Paige had placed on the front lawn between two of the many ornamental trees If you can taste this sign it means you crashed into it. “Looks like Paige has been having some fun over the last two weeks. She’s placed a rather sarcastic sign between the trees this side about half way up the drive” added Corey, curious as to where she had gotten the sign from in the first place although it did bring a little humour into it, especially when he heard Roman chuckle slightly signalling he had seen and no doubt read the sign as they went passed it a few seconds before hand. It wasn’t long before Corey pulled up at the front of the mansion, putting the car into park and seeing Finn with his three most trusted demons had appeared to greet them. 

“Seth, Dean. Good to see the pair of you again. Renee is upstairs in the nursery and Paige is currently in her room, after her sugar rush ended. The nursery is upstairs to the left, second door on the right, it connects on to Renee’s room” spoke Finn shaking the hand of both men and welcoming them back, he knew both women would be ecstatic to see them despite knowing they were on their way back. He soon stepped aside allowing them two men entry into the mansion, Seth wasting no time running up the stairs although he tried to be quiet and keep his bubbling nerves and excitement under control, he felt like a kid on Christmas day with all his excitement on being able to see Paige again. Dean hot on his heals, both men going separate ways at the top of the grand staircase, Seth taking a sharp right and running down the hall to the end bedroom where as Dean did the same with the left quickly finding the room which was the nursery mainly thanks to the girly sign on the door. 

“Come on in Roman” spoke Corey leading the Samoan into the large mansion, and into one of the living rooms, like always they could hear the trickling water of the water features in the back garden, Corey had also noticed the play pen was now in the corner of the room instead of the middle of it suggest Renee was no doubt going to put her daughter down for her nap and catch up on a little sleep herself. “You have the choice, either stay here or in one of the other mansions. Seth called this place home before he went on the run so I doubt he will change that without a good reason to and Dean will no doubt talk with Renee about it. Now he’s back they may decide to return to Lunatics Love. So read through this then come and tell one of us” added Corey upon reaching the living room, he handed Roman a little file contacting the details of the mansion they would be putting him up in, if he decided he wanted to have his own place for a little while. 

“Your back” spoke Renee, waking up from her little snooze to see her husband standing at the side of their daughter’s crib with a smile on his lips at seeing her for the first time. The softness of his expression showing how proud he was although obvious nervous and afraid for the future where as the slight jump at her words told her she had given him a slight fright when she had spoken, he was clearly lost in the moment to the point he forgot she had been asleep in the room. Upon reaching the crib their daughter lay asleep in, she couldn’t help but smile at her family finally being reunited again after so long apart. “Are Seth and Roman okay?” asked Renee her concern appearing for the remaining two men especially since she had only seen her husband appear. 

“They’re fine, Seth beat me up the stairs, headed to Paige’s room, where as Roman I think is downstairs” replied Dean, wrapping his arms securely around his wife’s waist and just holding her in his arms again. He was content on resting his head on her shoulder and watching their daughter sleep peaceful and without the care her daddy was finally there with her for the first time. “I wonder how long it would take Seth to finally tell Paige how he really feels for her. He mentioned just after we left he was thinking of proposing” added Dean revealing the youngest of the three hounds had intentions of finally settling down. Renee could only place her hands over her husbands looking at the matching gold bands around their ring fingers and the hidden tattoo that lay beneath. 

Down the hall Seth had snook into Paige’s room, seeing her peacefully lying on the bed although not under the covers, her raven hair spread across the cushions around her. Like Dean, the one they had come to call Architect could only smile upon seeing the person he had thought about every day since leaving her behind. He quickly took of his jacket and shoes before carefully getting on the bed and laying besides her, being extra careful not to wake her, upon finding a comfy position he placed an arm around her making sure no one could separate them any time soon, it wasn’t long before he too fell in to a peaceful sleep, a soft smile on his lips at being able to sleep with Paige in his arms once more and knowing they were both in a safe place. He knew when she woke up, she would be happy to see him after so long and probably wouldn’t want to let him go. 

Back in Orlando, Kane was at the police station with his brother, in his hands was the picture that Summer had given him. He knew although he didn’t know Paige’s exact location, he could at least give his brother comfort by telling him she was still alive and safe in her current place she called home, just as he had the picture in his hands to show she was happy as well. He knew Summer was the only link they had to her, and also the only one out of all of them who knew her location after finding the hidden message in the letter to herself and Emma. It wasn’t long before Kane gained enough confidence to give the framed photo or at least one of them to his brother, a small smile as he did so, although he wasn’t surprised to see the confused expression take over his brother’s features. 

“When was this taken? I can remember it” asked Mark, looking down at the picture of Summer and Paige smiling at the camera, well it looked like they were actually laughing at something and someone had snapped a photo of them capturing the moment in a still photograph. Kane could see his brother rack his memory attempting to remember what event the picture could have been taken at, or when it could have been taken. Even when Kane himself put his own framed version on his desk with all the other family photos he had there, each one reminding him of happier times and why he was doing the job in the first place. 

“It was taken over the last week or so on Summer’s last vacation with friends” responded Kane, seeing the way Mark quickly turned around to face him at hearing Summer had seen his oldest daughter. “She’s fine, safe and in a secure location, a little heartbroken but still running Knight’s Raven on the right side of the law. Summer has said she is still in Florida but I don’t know where since I didn’t ask” added Kane, giving his brother the news his oldest daughter was still in the state even if she wasn’t in the same city as them. “She’s alive Mark, that’s all that matters, after a year of thinking the worst you finally have confirmation that Paige is still alive and out there somewhere. You finally know there is still a chance to put things right with her” finished Kane, knowing Mark had been thinking the worst when it come to Paige over the last twelve months and practically dreading not being able to make things right with his oldest daughter. 

“I just wish she would come home or at least contact me” replied Mark, looking at the new picture of his daughter, her happiness there and seeing how confident she had become in herself now. He smiled a little to himself at least he could be thankful she was alive and the people who had sworn to protect her were doing their job right. He knew if Summer was the other in the photo then she was likely to be the only family member who knew where Paige currently resided and why she hadn’t made contact with any of them since the letters. “How did Summer find her? Does she know the reason why Paige hasn’t contacted any of us since the letters?” asked Mark wondering if Summer knew the reasons why his daughter had yet to make any sort of communication with him. 

“She decoded the letter Paige sent to Emma and Summer. Found out where she was, no idea how she found the mansion though. As for why Paige hasn’t contacted us. Is for the same reason she left last year” responded Kane revealing Summer had found the city Paige now called home via the letter in which she and Emma had received. “Incording to Summer, she found little clues in the letter that gave her the location, she also said she has been going to visit Paige for just under a year, she knows more about this than anything. And I don’t know Paige’s locations because I didn’t ask. She will appear to us when she is ready to” added Kane, revealing why he didn’t know the location of his oldest niece, he respected her wishes and knew when she was ready to make herself known to them again then she would. Until then they just had to accept she wasn’t coming home and trust the words of Summer.


	16. Chapter 16 - Turn of Events

“I can’t imagine my life without her Dean. Being on the run I almost lost her. I don’t know what I would have done if she wasn’t here” spoke Seth remembering when he was told Paige was close to giving up yet had held on that little longer with the hope she would get him back, she had trusted the words he had written in the letter to her as well as his promise of finding his way back to her. He could recall how Paige had reacted upon seeing he was there with when she woke up, the watery smile that come to her lips as well as the tears in her eyes when she realised he was actually there and wasn’t a figment of her imagination, just as he could remember her slapping him just to make sure he was there and again shortly after because he had left her without warning. 

“She’ll be okay Seth, she’ll get through this you both will” responded Dean looking around the hospital corridor they were in, they had been instructed to wait in the waiting room but Dean had followed Seth into the corridor when he walked out the room, the expression on the Iowan’s features giving it away he was bothered by the events that had taken place mere weeks after returning home, after seeing the woman he loved be shot like that and put on deaths door. The blow came worse for Seth when he seen who held the gun, who was attempting to take his lover away from him. Dean could see Seth was struggling to come to terms with it, especially when he didn’t understand the reasoning or the motive that was given for it.

“He’s my brother Dean, my older brother. The one I’m supposed to look up to yet he is also the reason why Paige is fighting for her life right now. How am I supposed to understand why he did it” spoke Seth wiping the stray tears from his eyes as the event flashed through his mind and the horror he felt upon seeing what had happened. He could remember it so clearly like it had happened a few seconds prior instead of hours ago. “Why would he do this? Why would he hurt Paige?” asked Seth his confusion over what happened clear to hear in his voice as was the dread and uncertainty on what was going to happen to two people he loved the most. 

“The Wyatt’s will find Punk, Corey sent them out to get him a few hours ago when she came out of shock and told us who did it” replied Dean, he knew Corey wouldn’t let the person who hurt his princess get away with it just as he could see Seth was torn between who he should be with right now. “Seth go home and change, I will stay here with Paige and will call you if anything changes” continued Dean noticing Seth was still wearing the blood stained shirt he had on earlier on when he ran to Paige’s aid. Seth shook his head in response looking down at his hands still seeing the blood there from where he had put pressure on her wounds in hopes he could stop the bleeding and give her a better chance at survival. 

“No, I want to be here. In case anything happens. I promised her I would be with her until the end of the line. I’ve broken that promise once, I wont do it again. I can’t lose her Dean without her my life isn’t worth living. I just want her back” responded Seth quickly making it known he wasn’t going to go anywhere, it was at that point both men looked up when they heard the rather familiar voice of The Undertaker, finally having arrived after being informed of what happened by Finn. The pair were soon startled by Dr Galloway who had tapped Seth on the shoulder causing a chain reaction. Like Seth and Dean he could hear the voice of both members of the Brothers of Destruction. 

“Seth, Finn put you down as Paige’s main contact. So I’m here with an update” spoke Dr Galloway seeing the way both men looked at him, the hope in Seth’s eyes that everything was going to be okay with the woman he had called his own and done everything to get back to. “The surgery was successful, the bullets were removed. However she’s not breathing on her own at the moment. The bullets did a lot of damage some of it we can’t fix” continued Dr Galloway revealing although the emergency surgery they had to preform was a success the raven haired princess wasn’t breathing on her own. “She will be unable to conceive naturally due to the amount of damage done by one of the bullets” finished Dr Galloway delivering the news of what damage was likely to be permanent, seeing the reaction slowly take over as the news slowly sunk in to Seth that the woman he wanted to spend his life with would be unable to have children. 

“Can he go and see her?” asked Dean wiping the tears that come to his eyes at hearing the state Paige was now in. To him he owed her everything, she had been there for his wife when she needed someone, she never gave up hope on them coming home although she come close to it and she was the reason why they had come home in the first place. Now she was fighting for her life and was likely to be given the bad news of never being able to conceive children when she wakes if she does. He watched as Dr Galloway nodded and signalled for a nurse to take Seth to her room, knowing there was more the good doctor had to say but was hesitant to do so in front of Seth himself. 

“There’s a fifty fifty chance she will wake up, and there was another injury caused to the left side of her neck” continued Dr Galloway when he was sure Seth was out of hearing range, he could see the confusion come to the eyes of Dean upon hearing there was another injury. “It looks like a bullet grazed her neck however it appears like an older injury caused maybe two or three days before hand” added Dr Galloway revealing although another injury but it wasn’t caused at the same time as the others instead from a few days before. He also could tell Dean was attempting to remember what happened in the days leading up to this and if anything was out of the ordinary.

With Punk he was currently in a hotel room somewhere in Florida, there he watched his own wife as she slept peacefully, the events that he had taken part in on repeat in his head just as the look of Seth’s face upon realising who it was who had shot Paige burnt into his mind. Whenever he closed his eyes he could see Seth’s expression just as he could still hear the gun shots ringing in his ears. He knew there was no going back now, he knew there would be no forgiveness from his brother. If Paige survived then that meant he stood at chance at surviving but if she passed on from the injuries he had inflicted on her with his weapon of choice then he knew his fate would be the same as hers. He would be sentenced to run and constantly looking over his shoulder for whomever would be sent to find him, although he was unsure if it would be the demons or the Wyatt’s to come looking for him, he knew he would get his answer soon enough. 

“What happened? Are you okay?” asked AJ upon waking up to see her husband sat on a chair across from the bed, blood splattered across his white shirt as he was staring into space. He had a look that said he was unsure of what he was going to do now or what he could do now. “Punk what happened?” asked AJ turning his head gently with her hands so he was looking over to her. He soon looked down to his shirt realising for the first time the red on it as well as on his hands from when he had tried to help stop the bleeding. He knew AJ thought the worst and that the blood was his, just as he knew the horror would take over when she learnt what he had done and who he would have hurt at the same time. “I’m going to call Seth, he can help us” added AJ none the wiser of what her husband had done or that her brother in law was going to be useless now. 

“He wont come” whispered Punk in response to AJ calling his younger brother for help. “Not now, the blood isn’t mine” he added in the same whispering tone seeing the relief come to her brown eyes at hearing he wasn’t injured and the blood didn’t belong to him. Which only made her question who it belonged to and what he had done. “He’ll never forgive me but it was the only way” continued Punk almost like he was in some sort of trance, when AJ looked to his line of stare she could see the butt of a gun poking out from the jacket he had warn when he had left the hotel room she could remember him being in procession of when he left earlier on. “I’m his enemy now” finished Punk never once raising his voice above a whisper nor even looking her in the eye although he knew she was confused on what he was actually talking about. 

“Why wont Seth forgive you? What did you do?” asked AJ her own voice cracking with the dread that had began to settle in the pit of her stomach, she almost feared what his answer was going to be. “Punk who’s blood is it?” again asked AJ, it was then it dawned on her what he could have meant, there was only one reason why Seth wouldn’t come when called. “Is that Seth’s blood? Did you hurt Seth?” asked AJ once last time wondering if the blood on her husbands hands and clothing was from his younger brother, wondering if Punk had done something to his brother. She was almost scared to find out the answer but knew it would only be worse if she didn’t ask. She soon got her response in the form of Punk shaking his head, revealing the blood belonged to another, to which AJ frowned unsure of who else the blood could have come from. “Who does the blood belong to?” asked AJ hoping he would answer her questions and fill her in on what was happening. 

“I shot Paige” responded Punk in the same voice he had before, the same uneven whispering tone. He soon reacted over to turn out the lights in the room, leaving the light of the television to light up his own features in an eerily way as it also illuminated AJ’s features highlighting her concern over the words he had spoke. “It was an accident, Roman moved out the way. He was my target” revealed Punk, informing her it was an accident that Paige was shot although he knew his younger brother never seen Roman standing there, all he had seen was Paige fall to the floor after hearing the gunshots with himself holding the smoking gun. “It was the only way to keep you safe, I was sent to silence Roman before he said anything. I didn’t know Paige was there” finished Punk revealing he had done a job in order to keep AJ safe and revealing his intended target was Roman. 

“You have to explain this to them” replied AJ knowing if this was an accident then there was a chance they would understand it. Once again Punk slowly shook his head, the events of what had happened still on repeat in his head, how he had agreed to meet Roman, the argument between them about Zarah and how Roman had stepped a side when he had fired the gun. Although he had noticed something odd about Paige he hadn’t had time to check on her as Seth had heard the shots and come running to the scene where as Roman had left quickly clearly not wanting the suspicion to fall on him. AJ could only wonder what had happened when he was out, why he had gone to the mansion in the first place and even why he had the weapon he had on him at the time, she knew he hadn’t been a hired mercenary for a long time and hadn’t been given any reason to return to that sort of work again. 

“Its too late, whether she lives or dies I’m done for. The Demon’s will be coming after me, they wont stop until they have found me and taken me back to Tampa” responded Punk, in a way explaining why he had been whispering this entire time and why he had turned all the lights out. He was afraid he was being tracked. “We have to leave, I can’t explain what I did to them” added Punk quickly jumping to his feet and going into the bathroom, washing away the blood and changing his stained clothes. Knowing it wouldn’t be just the demons after him, if her father found out he was responsible for the shooting then the Brothers of Destruction would also be on his tale, destroying any hope of peace or putting this right he may have. “I’m sorry Paige” whispered Punk as he washed the blood from his hands, tears in his eyes at being the one to have dismantled his brother’s happiness and destroyed the relationship between them. “Please live Paige, my brother needs you. Please go back to him” finished Punk the guilt of what happened overwhelming him as he began to think of the best case scenario and the worst case. Either way he knew the bond between himself and Seth was likely to have been shaken even broken over this. 

Two weeks earlier with Evolution they were currently going over some of the plans they had been working on since being broken out of prison. They knew their previous tactics would no longer work due to them being wanted by the police departments just as they knew they could no longer use Roman due to not having a clue where the man was. The only person they had who knew where any of them were was Seth’s older brother in Punk, although the man would be hard to sway to their side. They were however aware of his former job as a hired mercenary. 

“Have you had any contact from Nikki?” asked Hunter knowing out of all them, Batista and Randy had the most contact with the woman in question, they had thrust far been successful in keeping her and her sister hidden from Cena, hiding everything she had on the internet including her social media from him although they knew he would eventually work out he hadn’t found who he was looking for due to those he trusted working against him. “Is she still refusing to come back while Carmella is here?” asked the boss of the entire company they were all apart of. He knew they couldn’t force her to come back just as he knew the only way to ensure she was going to be happy was to make sure the man who broke her heart didn’t find her until she wanted him to. 

“She’s doing good, spending time with her other family members as well. She recently moved to San Diego with them, as well as her nieces. Started off a couple of business with her sister Brie. So she has things to keep her going and occupied” responded Randy remembering when he had went to visit her, he had seen her playing games with her two nieces Vivienne and Bridee, how happy she was to be able to see her brother and other family members again, as well as to be in a place where she didn’t have to worry about everything that was happening around her. “She’s finally getting over what caused her to leave in the first place, although I think she finally knows what she wants for the future” added Randy knowing Nikki had wanted to have her own family like so many of her co-works had gotten and what those they had labelled as their enemy had done. 

“How are things going with getting rid of Mr Reigns?” came the voice of Stephanie, for now she was content on leaving the other two hounds alone, she had actually gained a lot of respect for them over the last twelve months. She had realised they had gone on the run after deeming it safer for the people they loved in their case Paige and Renee, although they had also discovered Renee was also an expecting mother to which she had convinced her brother of something, although she was aware the Hounds hadn’t realised it. The traps in which they had laid was only for one member rather than the three of them, that one being the one who showed no loyalty and only appeared to be in it for himself. Roman. 

“We’re trying to find a mercenary capable of the task. So far the only name we keep getting recommend is CM Punk, Seth Rollins older brother. Problem is he gave up being a mercenary when he married AJ Lee. We doubt there is anything we can do to convince him to help us considering we are the reason he was forced to run eighteen months ago and also the reason he hasn’t been able to contact Seth” responded Batista, knowing he was likely the only one to be able to do the job however he knew there was also a high possibility he would turn on them, either taking them out of the equation of giving the information of their whereabouts and who was there to someone who would happily end Evolution and send them back to where most of them probably belonged. “We know he doesn’t get on with Roman but he also wont work with us, there is a higher chance he will turn on us rather than help” added Batista knowing the risks of going to Punk to eliminate Roman. 

“Make him an offer” responded Shane appearing in the room with them having entered just a they mentioned Punk and hiring him. “Make him and offer he can’t refuse, a guarantee if he help us then we give him something” added the other leader of the company, he knew what he could offer the man that he wouldn’t be turned down. “If he helps us eliminate Roman, then we leave his brother and Knight’s Raven alone for good” added Shane knowing it was the only way to get Punk to agree to what they had in mind. He knew like many of them did in order to gain Punk’s services then they had to reassure him the people he loved would no longer be a target. “We all know Miss Knight is far more prepared than we originally thought, she has things we could only dream of having and she used technology against us. Knight’s Raven is far more superior to Evolution, so instead of engaging in a losing battle, make a truce with them and focus are sights on another enemy. New Day or The Undisputed Era, even the TNA lot” finished Shane knowing they were outmatched when it come to Knight’s Raven and its owner, she had proven to them they were fighting a battle they couldn’t win. 

“Okay, make him that offer. Make sure he knows his loved ones will be safe from us” spoke Hunter when he seen Stephanie nod her head in agreement, she knew that would mean the possibility of having to merge with them one day in order for them to have the same protection from the Brothers of Destruction as those in Knight’s Raven did. Just as all of them knew they would one day have to make a mends for anything they had done in the past. Including the assassination attempt on the then nineteen year old Paige, although they could see now it was a good thing she had survived. As this entire thing rested on her and the others people Punk loved, his wife and brother included. “I’ll make the deal, it will be more believable if it comes from me” added Hunter knowing how the former mercenary was likely to think. Although he also knew the deal they were attempting to make with him would be undeniable. It wasn’t long before Hunter phoned the number Batista had given him all men in the room hoping it was a recent number. 

“Hello Punk” spoke Hunter hearing the man to pick up say he was going to hang up the phone. “Don’t hang up, I want to offer you a deal. Your mercenary services in exchange for the safety of everyone you love including all those at Knight’s Raven” quickly responded Hunter, a smile coming to his lips at hearing the other man say he was listening. “Roman Reigns, he’s a problem for everyone, he turned on your brother to help us then returned to him and the those at Knight’s Raven when he realised they had Zarah. Now she is no longer with them there’s a chance he could turn on them again. So I offer the deal, you eliminate Roman and we will leave all of those at Knight’s Raven, you and your wife alone for good, Shane too will stop hunting them. Its better for everyone if he’s eliminated including Dean Ambrose daughter” continued Hunter revealing what he wanted in return for Evolution to leave everyone the man loved alone. “Well provide the weapon and the means of contacting him, all you have to do is finish him once and for all” finished Hunter his smile getting bigger at hearing the man in question agree to the terms, knowing he was doing it to protect the people he loved the most. Neither man aware of the turn of events that was going to take place. 

At Tampa General Hospital The Brothers Of Destruction had arrived upon receiving a call from Finn about an incident that had taken place. Finn had reluctantly phoned Kane knowing he would be the one less likely to jump to conclusion on who was responsible or what happened, although he would be curious to know what happened his focus would be on his niece and the one who was currently fighting her for her life. He watched the pair of them along with AJ. Watching Mark pace upon and down the hall with authority unsure of what to make of the situation at hand or what had happened in the first place. Kane however was sitting on one of the chairs in the hall, looking at something on his phone, likely he was looking at pictures he had kept from all the family times they had together. 

“How could this happen? They were supposed to be protecting her. They were supposed to be keeping her safe.” mumbled Mark as he continued to pace the hall not spotting the two watching him from a distance. Kane had by now looked up wondering who he was more angry at the people who had been keeping Paige hidden this entire time and had failed at their jobs of protecting her or himself for losing sight of her and driving her away in the first place. “She’s my daughter Kane, when she’s healed she’s coming back home away from those people and away from that god forsaken business. She’s better off never seeing any of them again” added Mark, spotting Dean Ambrose coming down the corridor holding a child in his arms, a sad expression painted on his features as he looked down at the baby. Almost like he had lost something dear to him. 

“You can’t make that decision for her Mark. You know she left for a reason. She cut all contact for a reason. If she wants to come home with us then fine but if she doesn’t you have to let her go. You don’t know she’ll be better of without them. You heard Summer she found her special someone, against all odds he found his way back to her. Taking her away from him will just make the suffering of both of them worse and her hatred for you and everything she once knew grow” responded Kane knowing neither he or Mark could make the decisions for her. “I don’t like this either but I know that we have to accept her decision, whether we like them or not. If she feels safer here in Tampa then she stays here. You know as well as I do they haven’t failed until now and we don’t know what happened yet or what Paige’s condition is” added Kane knowing what would happen if Mark forced his oldest daughter to return home, he knew if he did force her to go back to Orlando she would leave again this time without informing anyone of where she was going. 

“Her condition isn’t good” came the voice of Dean Ambrose, the little girl now asleep in his arms wrapped in her favourite blanket, in his hands was the stuffed hound toy Seth had gotten her, the one she wouldn’t go anywhere without. “Incording to Dr Galloway, she not breathing on her own at the moment. Although the surgery to remove the bullets and stop the bleeding was successful” added Dean seeing the way both men looked at him, one of them with gratitude that someone had come to inform them of her condition and the other with fury that she was even in the hospital to begin with, Dean could tell what was to come especially when they were learning this information from a secondary source. Dean soon walked away cooing to the little girl in his arms and soon passing her over to her mother giving her a sweet kiss as he did so. 

“I want to know what happened to her” spoke Mark a demanding tone in his voice, he knew he had some rights as he was her father although she was also older enough to make her own decisions. “I want to know why my daughter is the one in here and where her protection was. I want to know who did this and what is being done to catch them” added Mark failing to notice when Finn had appeared with them. “I want to know who is with her right now, we both know after the incident seven years ago she doesn’t like hospitals, we both know she will panic if she wakes up alone” added Mark noticing Kane wasn’t looking at him any more but someone stood behind him, he soon turned his attention to the man Kane had already focused his too. 

“I can answer some of your questions. What happened we don’t know we’re currently going through all the footage to find out. As for why Paige we believe she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, we think the intended target was Roman, as Seth seen him bolt as did Dean. Her protection were there however the shooter was someone she knew and again she doesn’t appear to be the intended target, we’re currently tracking his whereabouts now so we can question him on it and get his version of events, we have our team who specialise in finding people out there looking for him as for who is with her. That would be Seth, I know how much she hates hospitals after the last time she was in one and I also know he’s not going to willingly leave her. He wont leave this hospital until she does” responded Finn giving answers to the questions in which Paige’s father had asked, never naming the shooter although he was aware Paige wasn’t the target, from what he seen of the footage Roman was. Although it was beyond him why Punk would be aiming at him. 

“How come we heard of her condition from Dean?” asked Mark revealing he had recognised the Ohio native from when he was at the police station the year before, having been one who was bent on helping his oldest daughter and also one of them who had mysteriously disappeared during the night. Kane noticed something in the way Finn looked giving him the answer that Mark couldn’t see. He knew the reason and also why, he knew the Irishman in front of him was just following the instructions he had been given. “We’re her family, we should have been informed as soon as there was any news why weren’t we?” again asked Mark to which Kane just sighed knowing Finn wasn’t going to tell them what they already knew, he had just come to inform them of the information they had asked for and what Summer had no doubt informed him of what they would want to know. 

“Because we weren’t her primary contact Mark” responded Kane, seeing Finn nod in confirmation of what he had said. He knew the younger man had just followed the orders in which he was given or even set if the situation should ever happen. “Paige broke contact with all of us, Finn here is probably following her pre-set orders. We will find out information but not from the primary source, only the main contact will have that privilege” added Kane realising they were on the contacts but not as the primary one, which did make him question who that person was, although if he had to guess then he would say either the Irishman stood before him or the young man in the room with her, knowing each would be there to support her if she needed. “She had everything planned out didn’t she?” asked Kane receiving a nod in response as well as Finn giving him something, a small folder of sorts. 

“She considered everything, who the primary contacts were, as well as who would be her power of attorney, even where you would stay if you had to come from Orlando. Everything is sorted in case anything happens and she has the best care and treatments available. Seth is her main contact due to being her former protector and current partner, where as I’m her power of attorney. She knows the risks of being involved in this, she’s been pretty determined not to make the same mistakes either of her parents made” spoke Finn revealing Paige had made all the arrangements and learnt from her parents mistakes, thrust giving her the peace of mind she needed. She knew she could trust him hence why she had asked him to be the one to decide what happens to her if the time should call for it. 

With Roman he had left the mansion in which he had been staying with Seth and Dean in, ignoring his phone when someone called to find out where he was and also forget what had happened at the mansion before he had ran from it. He knew he shouldn’t have ran but he also knew how it would look. He knew he would look responsible due to dodging the bullets and not warning the now hospitalised Paige of what was to come, he didn’t even call her name or check upon her. He knew although Punk had pulled the trigger he hadn’t done anything to help when he could have, so in his own mind he was as guilty as Punk was. 

“Come on Zarah where are you? Where did you take our son?” whispered Roman as he sat in a cafe using his laptop to find any trace of the mother of his son or the person who knew of Zarah’s location. Natalya. He knew the woman had to be somewhere as Punk would have mentioned if Evolution had taken her which meant the blond had gone into hiding in order to protect her secret. He knew the only way to find Zarah was likely to be through her social media and other accounts, just as he knew there was a chance the Wyatt’s probably knew of her location and had been keeping an eye on her in case anything happened. 

“You wont find her Roman. She used Paige’s tactics. She wont let you find her until she wants you to” spoke Punk appearing in the same booth as Roman. The Samoan looking rather surprised to see him as he thought he had covered his tracks to prevent being found. “They know I’m here, Corey found me in a hotel room, questioned me on what happened and who my intended target was as well as why. They know why I am doing this just as they know who hired me to do it” added Punk revealing Corey and the Wyatt family had indeed found him, bringing both himself and AJ back to the county and putting them up in one of the mansions for the time being. He knew he would have to tell his brother what really happened along with Finn as well as explain everything to Paige when she woke up. 

“Why did you shoot her? Why were you even there with a weapon? Who frigging well hired you to kill her” responded Roman not catching on to the words Punk had spoken when he said Paige wasn’t the intended target. He was clearly none the wiser of the hit that had been put out on him just as he was none the wiser of the promises he was given in return. Punk knew the price of their freedom would be high but he also knew it was to eliminate one in order to keep everyone he loved safe. “She’s your brother’s partner. By hurting her you hurt Seth too. Your supposed to be his older brother. Your supposed to be helping him not being the one responsible for all his pain” added Roman losing control of his anger and starting to raise his voice slightly. 

“Paige wasn’t my intended target Roman, you were. Hunter got in contact with me. Offered me a deal. He and the rest of Evolution would leave Knight’s Raven and all those connected to it alone if I eliminated you. You turned on your best friends once, forced them to run and put them in so much danger. Then you turned back to us when you realised we had Zarah. You don’t care about anyone or anything unless it benefits you. Zarah realised that, hence why she left. She realised you wouldn’t come back for her or your son so she left so she could find her happiness outside of this business, so she could raise her son away from everything and in a place he was out of danger” spoke Punk in response, revealing what Roman had missed. Revealing Evolution had hired him to eliminate the man who had turned against both sides as well as telling Roman what the others couldn’t bring themselves to. “I know she left. She came to me for an entire new identity to make sure you wouldn’t find her. Natalya was never her secret keeper, AJ is. Natalya was the decoy since we knew you would go looking for her” finished Punk revealing AJ was the only one who knew where Zarah was just as he was the one who had given her the fresh start in terms of new identity. 

“Come on Punk” spoke Corey using the disguise of a police officer so people wont stop him from taking either man from the building, just as he knew neither man would argue when in front of a cafe full of people. “You too Roman” added Corey making it look as authentic as possible, by handcuffing both men and making sure to escort both men from the cafe, he knew the words he was about to speak next would be the last thing either of them wanted to hear. “We’re going to Tampa General Hospital so you two can explain to Dean and Seth and probably Finn what happened. And don’t think you can get away with it Roman both of your brothers seen you leave the mansion after the shooting, Finn also has the footage of it” finished Corey revealing where they were going and also giving the information that Roman had be caught leaving after the shooting, much to the surprise of both men there. 

“Seth and Dean seen him leave? Really?” asked Punk willingly getting into the back of the SUV, a small smile coming to his lips upon realising what he had originally thought wasn’t the case. “I will explain my part in all of this to my brother. Its the least I could do since I’m responsible for Paige being in the hospital in the first place. That way he can do whatever he wants to me, scream, shout, say he never wants to see me again” added Punk revealing he wanted to be the one to tell Seth why he was there in the first place and who his intended target was, he knew that would also mean telling him about the phone call and the deal which had been struck. 

“Yeah, Dean was already down stairs, as soon as he heard the gun shots he went to the window, seeing Roman running past as for Seth he was just coming down the stairs to check on everything seeing him running out the door” responded Corey getting into the front seat and seeing the dread appearing in Roman’s eyes upon hearing he wasn’t going to be getting away with this scotch free like he had hoped. All he really wanted to do right now was find Zarah and his son, he just wanted them back and to apologise to his baby momma for leaving the way he did. He wanted to make things right with the people he cared for but knew that wasn’t going happen when AJ was the only one who knew of Zarah’s location.


	17. Chapter 17 - Breath

“Finn, Dean. We found both of them. I think both of you and Seth would be interested in Punk’s explanation” spoke Corey quickly finding the duo hanging around the waiting room of the floor Paige was currently on, one of Finn’s Demons had been kind enough to send him a message with the floor they were on along with an update on how Paige was doing, he was relieved the surgery was successful but near enough mortified to hear she wasn’t breathing on her own. He knew from the look of Finn’s expression this was much worse than the assassination attempt on her before. Dean soon lead the group to Paige’s room knowing Seth wouldn’t leave Paige’s side, he was already refusing to leave the hospital so knew he wouldn’t leave her room unless someone was there to take his place and be there with her. Upon entering the room, they were met with the sound of the heart monitor beeping along with the sound of the ventilator helping her to breath. Seth was sat on the far side of her, near the window holding one of her hands in his, minding his own business while patiently waiting for his Raven Haired Lady to wake up. 

“Seth” called Dean no more than low voice, so not to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the room, he watched as Seth looked up from the magazine he was content on reading, see his curiosity quickly been replaced with a look of uncertainty and almost fear upon seeing both Punk and Roman with Corey in the room, it was clear to all of them he feared losing Paige and knew one of the men who had entered the room is responsible for his beloved Princess condition, he knew one of them was responsible for her being in the situation she was currently in. “Punk has come to explain and put things right, AJ is being brought here by Gallows since she is insisting on being here to help” added Dean, seeing the fear subside a little but, being replace with almost gratitude his older brother had come to explain everything. 

“She wasn’t my target Seth” spoke Punk seeing the way his younger brother looked at him, upon hearing the words, he knew Seth had caught on to what he meant. “Evolution got in contact with me, they offered me a deal. They would leave AJ, you, Paige and everyone at Knight’s Raven alone for good if I eliminated one person for them” added Punk seeing the curiosity rise in the eyes of Dean and Seth upon hearing Evolution were willing to leave them be, it made them wonder what had changed their minds. “All I had to do was take out Roman, the man who had turned on both sides. He turned on all of us here and merged with Evolution when you and Dean left, then come back and turned on them when he realised we had Zarah. Those traps Evolution set weren’t meant for you or Dean, they were meant for Roman. Shane agreed with allowing you two to go free when the pair of you left to protect Paige and Renee. They all agreed to leave Knight’s Raven be after Paige showed them they couldn’t win, she used their own tricks against them which resulted in them going to prison. They just want Roman that’s it” finished Punk giving them the information that Evolution had actually allowed two of the hounds go free, he could see Dean was surprised to hear it but also knew that meant Evolution had been waiting for the right time to strike and all those close calls were because they saw a time to strike at their intended target. 

“That’s why you stayed” whispered Seth, knowing now if Paige had been his intended target he wouldn’t have stayed there to try and help himself and Dean attempt to save her by putting pressure on the wounds she had sustained. “That’s why you caught her when she fell” added Seth a little louder this time, seeing his older brother nod in response. He could at least find peace with that, although it worried him Punk had missed, this was the first time he had known Punk to miss the intended target, and the first time in years since he had married AJ had he actually willingly taken on a mercenary job, although he could see why as it meant the freedom and safety of everyone he loved including Paige herself. Roman looked around the room in slight confusion on why he was the target, like Seth and Dean he had left to protect someone he loved, in Zarah and their son yet still they saw him as the enemy as the people in front of him now did. 

“Styles has gone to get Zarah and Jordan, we will be putting them up in one of the mansions” spoke Corey revealing Finn had sent someone to fetch Zarah much like he had sent someone to go and get AJ since the smaller woman was rather restless when it come to being with the people who needed her. It wasn’t long before both Corey and Finn looked at each other, knowing now was as good as time as any to tell the ones in the room what Paige had put in place if this should ever happen. Corey had spent the time he was at the hospital when he was trying to find Punk and Roman trying to convince Finn to tell them what Paige had planned out and written down. 

“What’s going to happen with Knight’s Raven?” asked Roman, knowing Paige was the owner and the one who sent out the orders, even for Corey. He guessed without her there would be disarray and no doubt some sort of problems as they tried to find new leadership. Although Finn had taken control of it before he wondered if he could do so again now that the many employees of the group knew Paige was their rightful leader. “She didn’t have any back up plans in case anything like this happened” added Roman assuming Paige had been unprepared for something like this to happen due to her taking over a few years ago, he knew like they all did she was new to the illegal business and how they ran. It wasn’t long before Roman noticed the way both Finn and Corey looked at each other, suggesting at least one of them knew what the others didn’t. 

“Actually Roman she did put something in place in case anything like this happened” responded Finn speaking up for the first time since entering the room and seeing the looks he got in response to what he had said. “She prepared for everything, including the event of someone she trusted turning on her, wrote it all down and put it in a folder back at Architect's Armoury. She learnt from the mistakes her parents had made in the past determined not to make the same ones or suffer the same consequences they did” added Finn, seeing the small smile come to the lips of Dean upon realising she was more prepared than most original thought her to be. “In the case where she was for whatever reason unable to take control of the company, she has selected five to work together in her place, she also has the Power to Attorney chosen, everything is sorted” explained Finn his Irish accent coming through thick as he spoke, still seeing the looks he was receiving in response, Seth being the one with a look of realisation as he appeared to be remembering something she had been doing. 

“That’s what she was doing a few weeks ago” quietly spoke Seth, not meaning to say his thoughts out loud, especially when he looked up to see questioning looks coming from Roman, Dean and Corey where as Finn was nodding slightly. “She was typing something on her laptop a while ago, had several names on it. Name it In Case Of Emergencies, it didn’t occur to me she was planning in case anything happened” continued Seth a faint smirk coming to his lips at how prepared she was, and also how she had taken a leaf out of his book when it come to sorting out arrangements ahead of schedule. It made him smile slightly to see some of his habits had rubbed off on her, just as some of hers had stuck with him, especially the one with the sarcastic responses to most things or the odd little signs. 

“Seth, Dean, Punk, Corey and myself are to run the company when she can’t. Roman is to be put in a safe house for the time being, where as her family members will be put up in Raven’s Haven. The rest remains the same” spoke Finn revealing the plans she had made as well as the mansion her father and uncle and probably cousins would be staying in for the time being. “You may not like her Roman but she knows you mean something to both Seth and Dean. Just because she doesn’t trust you doesn’t mean she wont help” added Finn revealing everything to everyone expect for who the Power of Attorney was, he knew the others would probably figure it out eventually plus he had told Seth earlier on so he knew if the time come it would be the Irishman making the decisions instead of the one who loved her most. 

“Wouldn’t it just be easy to give Evolution what they want?” asked a voice from the door way and behind everyone in the room. It was a voice that both Seth and Roman knew very well. When Corey, Finn, Dean, Punk and Roman turned they were met with Zarah, her dark hair done up in a messy bun where as she wore a floral summer dress. On her hip a one year old boy with a tufted of black hair neatly styled. His blue dummy in his mouth as he played with loose strands of his mothers hair, his icy eyes fully of excitement as they focussed on the pieces of hair he wanted to play with. Roman could only look at his young son, warmth coming to him at seeing how much Jordan looked like him. “Evolution want Roman right, Paige is like that right now because of him. So why not give them what they want” added Zarah, her voice sounding cold when she spoke Roman’s name but the concern in her voice for those who had helped her clear to hear as well. 

“Hey, I’m not the one who had the gun in the first place” responded Roman, not sure what to make of Zarah’s new demeanour towards him, he had been so excited to see her again after a year on the run, he had even dreamt and imagined the day when he would be reunited with her and their son, yet how she acted towards him and her words were the complete opposite of what he had expected. Instead of being happy to see him again and full of love she was cold towards him, her stare almost full of hatred like she despised him for leaving her. “I left to protect you Zarah, to protect Jordan” added Roman forgetting the others were in the room, he watched as she carefully handed their son over to one of the only other parents in the room. Corey. Who held the boy carefully and took his leave from the room so he didn’t have to see what his mother was likely to do. Zarah watched them leave before walking over to her baby daddy and slapping him rather hard around the face, a satisfied smile coming to her lips although that soon disappeared when she remembered why she was there. 

“You didn’t leave to protect me or Jordan. You couldn’t even be bothered to tell me or write me a note, instead I had to find out what was going on through Gallows when he come to make sure I had protection. You left because you wanted to, you left because it was the only way to get what you wanted. To escape the responsibility to your son. Seth and Dean they left to protect their loved ones, Dean left Renee when she was months into her pregnancy, where as Seth knowingly broke his promises to Paige but both found the time to write a letter and give them hope they would come back. So please Roman tell me who you really left for, as it clearly wasn’t for me or your son” replied Zarah shaking with Rage, at explaining how she had figured he had left for himself although he had used her and their son as an excuse. “You are responsible for what happened to Paige, you knew she was behind you when Punk fired and you did and said nothing. You didn’t even stay to help, Punk may have pulled the trigger but he stayed to help her, despite his better judgement. He stayed in the hotel with AJ until Corey and the Wyatt’s found him so he could explain. But you ran and didn’t even care for her. Or even thank her for bringing you home” added Zarah her eyes still cold and emotionless as she explained what he had done to be responsible for what had happened to the woman who had done everything she could to help them. 

“Just coming to check on Paige” spoke Dr Galloway after knocking on the door, he had seen Corey in the hall with little Jordan so knew something was wrong. “Can those who aren’t supposed to be in here leave please. Two visitors only” added Drew, giving the group their marching orders. He knew they would listen to him due to him being the one to be there to help Paige and do his best to make sure she survived. He knew Seth would be one of them to stay in the room, so watched the others leave, generally surprised when Punk stayed behind although he knew that was probably to give Seth the support he was probably in need of right now. “Lets see how her breathing is doing” added Dr Galloway, knowing there was a chance Paige wouldn’t need the ventilator to help any more. 

Mark and Kane soon joined the group outside the private hospital room Paige was in. They noticed near enough immediately that something was slightly off within the small group. The way the dark haired mother looked at the Samoan one as well as entertained the small boy on her hip. Dean however looked to Finn and just shrugged while Corey appeared to be texting someone on his phone. Both Brothers of Destruction looked to each other and just shrugged not really interested in what was happening within the group, they just wanted to know how Paige was doing, it had been hours since they had arrived at the hospital, neither of the others had left although three others had joined from what they could tell in the formed of Roman, Corey and Zarah along with the young boy who was just over a year old. 

“Dr Galloway is in there now just doing a few tests. He mentioned something about seeing if she could breath on her own” spoke Finn giving the two brothers update on what was happening with Paige and why they were actually outside the room in the first place. Both men could only nod and hope the news was good. They could already tell the injuries were much worse than the last time. How those around acted gave it away, it didn’t really help when Mark wanted to know what was happening he had to find out through another member of the group, due to the state of his relationship with her. He knew he had to do something to put it right again just as he knew it was unlikely to happen while she ran the business her mother left behind. In the hospital room, Dr Galloway was doing the normal tests, he could remember when she was in the hospital before, how Finn had come every day to visit her and even sent her the black roses, her father was there by her side then. Now things were a lot different. She wasn’t even on speaking terms with her father and her injuries were so much worse. 

“She’s breathing on her own” spoke Punk realising the Scottish native Dr Galloway had turned off the ventilator that was helping Paige to breath, yet everything was going as normal. It brought a small smile to Punk’s lips to see she wasn’t going to give out so easily and that she was still fighting, his smile was only made bigger when Seth leant over to place a kiss on her forehead, stroking her hair at the same time. It was almost as if he knew she was fighting to return to him much like he had done for her. “She’ll come back Seth. She’s a fighter and she’s stronger than any of us know. Plus she’s got both you and me as well AJ when she gets here will be there for her, as will Dean, Renee and everyone else who love and care for her” added Punk seeing the way Seth looked over to him, a hint of surprise flashing through his eyes at learning his older brother was intending to stay. He also watched as Dr Galloway whispered something to Seth, his little brother nodding shortly after while trying to suppress a smile that was threatening to take over. 

“Doc things she’ll be awake soon” excitedly spoke Seth, finally giving in and smiling about the news he had been given, he was at least thankful she would wake up even if there would be months of recovery time ahead of her. He soon sat back down remembering something he had put in his hoodie pocket before leaving the room he had been in back at the mansion to investigate the shots he heard. He had been debating the best time to give the object to Paige, although he now knew when he wanted to do it, he just hoped she liked it as much as he had put so much thought into designing it for her. He had thought about it every day while on the run and what the future would hold for them, although he never expected any of the current situation to happen, he still knew where he wanted to be was the same. 

“Finn, can I talk you please” spoke Mark outside of the room, walking further down the corridor shortly after, he knew Finn had the power to decide what happened to his daughter as her Power of Attorney, hence why he had to speak to the Irishman about what he wanted to do. “I’m going to take Paige back to Orlando when she is well enough, away from Knight’s Raven and away from everything that put her in her current situation. Since she can’t make the decisions I need you to agree with it, your the one she left in charge of what happens to her. You know like I do she will be safer with me in Orlando” added Mark, explaining he was intending on taking Paige away from everything he seen as a danger to her including the people she was surrounded by, just as he knew in the case of Paige not able to make those decisions Finn would be the one to make them for her, he knew Finn would have Paige’s best interest at heart. 

“Sorry Mark but I can’t do that. If I do she will only come back. Plus Seth will follow you, he goes wherever she does until she tells him otherwise” responded Finn knowing the words he was about to add wasn’t what the father of two wanted to hear, nor would it be what he was expecting to hear. “Its not just because of what happened in the past, here there is places she can go where no one can get to her, she is surrounded by people she trusts. There isn’t anywhere in Orlando she feels like that any more. Most of it was destroyed upon finding out the truth about her mother” added Finn pulling a small envelope out of the bag in which he had been carrying around, giving it to the man in which it was intended for. “This is her final letter on the subject, I hope it gives you all the answers you need” finished Finn before returning to the small group, seeing Zarah was now sat on one of the chairs playing a small game with Jordan where as Dean was sat near by doing funny face to the young boy. 

“Welcome back Zarah” spoke Corey now he had put his phone away. He knew Zarah had left although he was unaware AJ was the actual secret keeper, he was at least relieved both she and her young son were okay. “Will you be staying with us this time? If yes then there is a mansion waiting for you, or you are free to stay in the one with Paige, Seth, Dean, Renee and Freya” added Corey seeing the way Roman looked, the man was clearly in agony over the woman he had called his love and now baby momma not being happy to see him as he had hoped she would, just as he could see she was unlikely to forgive him anytime soon, his cheek still hurt from earlier on when she had slapped him with all the hurt, anger, and other emotions she could muster. 

“What’s that” asked Kane going over to his brother who stood a few feet down the corridor with his back to the rest of them, in his hands was the envelope that Finn had given him seconds before hand. He was scared to open it and read the words in which she had written, even after all this time Kaia still asked a few times every week if Paige was coming home although she had received a birthday present it was the same as having her big sister there to celebrate with her. Mark soon looked over to his younger brother, like him Kane had the emotions and turmoil of everything that happened since Paige had left swimming in his eyes although it wasn’t displayed on his features as most would have expected. “You asked Finn for permission to take Paige away didn’t you? I told you we had to trust her decision, its the only way to regain her trust again. You heard what Summer said the last time. She’s happy here, and she was thinking about visiting. Don’t make her regret her the decision before she has made it” added Kane realising what his older brother had done and knowing if he kept on the way he was going he would lose her for good. Mark’s only response was to carefully open the envelope with his daughter’s hand writing on it. 

Dear Dad, 

I know we haven’t spoken in a long time or seen me since you finally told me the truth on really happened to mum. I also know by now you would know Summer figured out where I was and with my permission told at least one of you I am located in Tampa. I know you have probably worried for sometime and no doubt thought the worst had happened. Well it hasn’t, I’m happy here Tampa, I’m finally at peace. 

I know you are going to ask when I’m going to come back home. The answer is to visit eventually as I know Kaia misses me and still asks after me every day, but to live never, my home and place is in Tampa. It is where everything is, its where my heart is. I may have been without the person I loved for near enough a year but I had hope he would come back. Just as you have hope I would one day return to you and come back to Calaway residents. 

Although I have no intention of returning to Orlando to live, please know I will eventually come and visit. I know no matter what happened between us and no matter how much I hurt, you will always be my dad, just as what remains of my family remains in Orlando. But as you can guess that wasn’t the reason I wrote this letter. I write this letter to give you closure on what happened and for me to get my own closure on what coursed me to leave almost two years ago. 

Yes, I did leave because I couldn’t stand being around a family I no longer felt apart of, in the case of you, Michelle and Kaia I still don’t feel apart of it. Like then I feel like I am a permanent reminder of the life you tried to forget and the last reminder of mum. I also left to make sure Kaia is kept away from the life I have, so she never knows what her father used to do before being a police officer and to keep all those I love there safe from the world you once tried to hide from me. For that exact reason I also legally changed my name from Paige Saraya-Jade Calaway to Paige Saraya-Jade Knight. 

Please promise me you wont make the same mistakes with Kaia as you did with me. I know you say you hid the truth to protect me, but we both know it was to protect yourself you just tricked yourself into thinking it was for me. I may never return to Orlando permanently but I promise I will visit and give all of you peace of mind I’m okay and still alive, if Summer doesn’t do that by giving you updates after every visit. I also ask you accept my decisions, I know you have a habit of not accepting certain things. Well its time you showed how much you trust me. Let me be who I was meant to be and raise Kaia to know the truth, if you make the same mistakes then the outcome will still be the same. 

Goodbye for now   
Love Paige 

In an unknown location, the members of Evolution were currently in an urgent meeting. Stephanie, Hunter and Shane all calling the meeting with all employees, they had been informed what happened by Punk who was kind enough to tell them as well as accept the small job they had given him in response to turning down trying again. They knew it would only be a matter of time before Cena worked out both Batista and Randy were keeping Nikki hidden from him so they had asked Punk to take over knowing he had experience in hiding people away and making sure no one found them unless they wanted to be found. 

“Our focus is finding and eliminating Roman Reigns. Punk failed however he has agreed to take on another task of ours, something that’s probably more than suited to his skills now” spoke Hunter not saying the task that Punk had agreed to do instead of killing Roman. “It is true, we are leaving our battle with Knight’s Raven alone. Paige proved she is far more superior to us. We don’t have the means or the technology to take her down plus her mansions showed us just how out matched we are. Instead we will be focusing on our long time rivals in TNA or whatever they call themselves these days” added Hunter confirming the rumours that had been going around were true and they had put their differences with Knight’s Raven aside for the time being. 

“Cena, you’re teaming with me and Batista to track and take out Roman” added Shane revealing only three would be working to find Roman and deal with what they had called their problem. “With luck Miss Knight will be able to heal and send Roman away, either that her protection will if they view him as a bigger threat to Paige or any of others out there” continued Shane knowing above all else those ahead of the security would do what it took to protect their own, if they saw someone as a bigger danger to those around who were on the protection list then would make sure that person wasn’t a problem, even if it was as simple as finding somewhere else for them to go. 

“That means the rest of us will be retaliating again Jeff Jarrett’s crew, the man has been running rough shot on our territories long enough and his wife is pretty sure their her lands. So it about time we show them who runs the show around here, and what happens if they step out of line from our rules” spoke Stephanie making sure they knew who their new targets were. “We may not be able to beat Miss Knight but that doesn’t mean we are going to let others try and hurt her more than she already is. For now all those at Knight’s Raven are off limits, nobody from here goes to Tampa unless they are given orders to do so” added Stephanie making it clear none of those who worked under the Evolution banner could go to Tampa unless they were given instruction to do so. She like Hunter wanted to make sure those at Knight’s Raven knew they were clear from any attacks from anyone who wanted to hurt the princess who ran the entire thing. The three soon dismissed most of them, with the exception of Randy and Batista who stayed behind. 

“How’s she doing?” asked Hunter knowing they had someone there keeping them updated on how Paige was doing, that being Punk who had also been the one to give information to Finn and Corey in order to keep all those in the Knight’s Raven safe. Randy himself had been particularly interested as he had only heard of the girl who had made his close friends think twice, he knew if Hunter’s best friend was here now the man would be laughing at how they had been outsmarted by a young woman who was relatively new to the business, although he would probably congratulate her doing so at the same time. “Both Nikki and Paige, how are they doing?” again asked Hunter looking to both Randy and Batista knowing each one had kept an eye on one of the two girls he had mentioned. 

“Nikki is doing better, now she knows she wont be found until she wants to be. AJ Lee is her secret keeping, where as Punk has been contacting her through messaging in order to help her completely disappear. She’s loving being with her family again as well as going to different places with her sister. She is also willing to work but via email or phone call” responded Randy revealing although Punk hadn’t physically gone to see her, he had been messaging her over the last few hours to help her hide away and give her tips on keeping hidden while still living her life the way she wants to. He knew she had peace of mind knowing the two helping her specialised in helping people disappear, after all they had done the same with Zarah. Roman not finding any trace of her or their son. 

“From our update, Paige is now breathing on her own. Their good friend and doctor at the hospital thinks she will be awake with in the next couple of days. Her father and uncle are currently in Tampa as is Zarah. Although she is being very cold towards Roman. Punk explained everything to them so they know Paige wasn’t the intended target, Roman’s status with them is currently unknown” spoke Batista revealing although not awake the young woman they had previously called enemy was now breathing on her own and Punk had rejoined them after being given the chance to explain everything. He also knew they were unlikely to hear anything for a few days due to there being very little to update them on. Other than the status of Roman and where the Brother’s of Destruction were. 

“I think its about time we started making future plans for Miss Knight” spoke Stephanie, the sadness coming to her features upon remembering when they had been given the news of the permanent damage done to the young woman in her twenties. “Its our fault she is in the hospital in the first place because of that decision we ended up taking away her chances of having her own family. The least we could do is make some sort of arrangements for when she does want a family with Seth or whomever she chooses. If I was given the same news she will get when she wakes up I would be devastated” added Stephanie knowing the four men around her wouldn’t know what it would feel like as they would never be told such news, but she knew how she would have felt as she been told that when she was Paige’s age. 

“And the future of this company. Eventually we all know the possibility of having to merge with Knight’s Raven. Just to survive or we leave it all behind. We know that company is both sides of the law and mother company to a lot of things out there at the moment. Including the store we all got these t-shirts from” added Shane knowing the chances of being able to continue on as an individual company were getting lower, each time they had tried to set off smaller businesses it had ended in failure, they could only guess what people wanted plus most of the time when customers found out who was behind the newest place in town they normally avoided for fear of something happening to them, where as with Knight’s Raven not many knew of its illegal side despite it being one of the biggest in the Europe area, everyone who had control of the company had managed to keep its past hidden very well with Finn doing what no one thought possible when he relocated most of it half way across the world to give to its rightful owner in Paige.


	18. Chapter 18 - Pool Side

“How’s Paige’s physio going?” asked Dean as both he and Seth walked around the mansion both men now called home. Renee having convinced Dean it would be safer there for them and their daughter despite their being no direct danger from Evolution, unless the person they were targetting happened to be with them when they attacked. Since Paige had been released from hospital Seth and Dean had returned to being her security detail, where as AJ, Punk, Zarah and Jordan had moved into Lunatics Dream Mansion with the permission of the two previous owners in Renee and Dean. Dean knew Seth still planned on asking Paige something, he had seen the engagement ring once but never asked as he knew the younger man would have told him if he wanted someone else to know. 

“She’s doing good, although pretty down when Doc Galloway told her the odds of having kids naturally. He also told her someone had come to the hospital to make plans for when she is ready to have a family” responded Seth, remembering when she told him of that, both of them assumed it was Finn but got their answer when they asked him about it, his only response was a confused expression clearly having no idea what either of them were on about. “She’s still trying to find out who that person or people are, since her original thought of Finn turned out wrong. His generally confusion gave it away” added Seth a small smile coming to his lips on seeing her sitting besides the outdoor pool, Renee in the water with her young daughter and Jordan since Zarah had come to visit them, as she now seen them as close friends. As Punk and AJ had also come to visit. 

“Have you asked her yet?” asked Dean seeing the way Seth stopped and looked at him with slight confusion on what he was referring to. “Paige, have you asked her to marry you yet? I know you’re thinking about it, you carry around the ring everywhere with you” continued Dean seeing the way Seth reached into the pocket of his combats and pulled out the little box which contained the ring. He showed Dean the ring he had designed, although simple in design it was also something Paige would like or at least he thought it was. “She a keeper, and she loves you as much as you love her. I know she will say yes. If Renee could love and have a family with a complete nut case like me, then Paige would happily marry a smart ass like you” added Dean giving his best friend and the man he seen as a brother encouragement to ask the woman who obviously held his heart the big life changing question. 

“I know when I’m going to ask her” replied Seth, revealing he already had the day planned out, a small smirk appearing on his features as he tried to suppress a chuckle especially when Dean near enough crashed into a wall. “Summer’s been helping me, it’s coming up to the third anniversary since Paige took over the business and its also the annual ball in Orlando which all of us have an invite to. That ball is where I first met her, I think that should also be the place where I ask her to marry me” added Seth explaining he had help from Paige’s cousin, and he was going to propose at the event and place where they had first met. Dean could only smile at hearing that, he was willing to return to the place where they had all uprooted to and where his previous relationship ended just to take the next step in his relationship with Paige and begin a new part of his life. 

“Well at least I can take Renee this time. Although finding a babysitter we trust might be a bit difficult” responded Dean, not noticing Punk had appeared by the duo and had heard the entire conversation, it brought a smile to him especially to hear his little brother was finally ready to ask someone to marry him. Punk soon tapped both men on the shoulder watching as both men jumped and turned around quick enough to give themselves whiplash. Dean held a hand over his chest when looking over to Punk where as Seth held his neck looking at Dean and then to Punk, wondering if there was a reason his older brother had given both of them a scare. “Just what I wanted, to be scared half to death by someone” spoke Dean seeing the cheeky grin to come across Punk’s lips, it was obvious he had enjoyed watching how they reacted to his sneaking upon and scaring the hell from the pair of them. 

“Sorry” responded Punk, watching as both turned around to carry on while being cautious of what else he may have planned for them. “You do have a babysitter by the way. The same person who offered to look after Jordan” added Punk, seeing the curiosity come to Dean’s features upon hearing there was someone willing to look after his daughter. “Nikki Bella, she volunteered as a way of saying thank you for helping her disappear. Plus she’s in the area with her siblings and their kids” continued the older man revealing the woman he had helped to keep hidden had offered to look after the 16 month old boy and the near six month old girl. “I’m going to inform Renee and Zarah about it, since she is planning an entire days worth of fun for them. Including Disney films, a trip or two to their favourite park and a small shopping trip” finished Punk seeing the way Dean smiled upon hearing what the woman in question had in mind. 

“If Renee is okay with it, then its good by me. Momma Bear gets the final call when it comes to babysitters” replied Dean revealing the decision was up to Renee, to which Punk nodded and went on his way. “Oh and Paige’s dresses is black like the last time she went to one of the events, she AJ and Summer dragged her to the mall the other day” added Dean. Seth only look on, knowing someone would have forced his beloved Paige to go dress shopping sooner or later, no doubt with her protesting through it. “That’s funny, Renee has a red dress and I think Finn said he was going with Becky. Maybe we should find a date for Summer?” added Dean seeing how Seth looked over to him and chuckled, he knew Paige’s cousin could be as stubborn as she was especially when it come to going on dates with people. 

“Like who Jason Jordan. She would ended up murdering him by the end of the night” sarcastically replied Seth, he could still remember Jason joining them brought in by Corey to help with the illegal side of things, the younger man had quickly taken a shine to both Dean and himself, as well as seemed to hold a little crush for Summer. “I would say Bo but she punched him the other day, she didn’t realise he was her protector so she thought he was some guy stalking her” added Seth recalling the incident rather well since he was in the security hub at the time, having spotted it on the cameras. He felt for Bo on that one considering Summer had punched him and he ended up whacking his head of the wall, falling over shortly after. “The only people who comes to mind that maybe able to handle Summer are Marek, Jimmy J or Cesaro” finished Seth listing three people he could think would be able to handle Summer, Marek being his childhood friend whom he had stayed in contact with and Jimmy Jacobs being the leader of the first illegal business he was part of with Age Of The Fall, both men had met Cesaro during their Shield days, he was one of them to leave shortly after Roman had merged with Evolution. 

“Could test the three of them. Whichever one Summer gets along with best is the one we set her up with” responded Dean, both men quickly changing the subject when they seen the blond in question walking with her younger sister Emma. She stopped before both of them and introduced Emma to them, the other blond smiled awkwardly and waved at them clearly not too comfortable being around them while wearing a bikini, where as Summer was the opposite and enjoyed their company. “So Emma do you have a date to the annual ball in Orlando?” asked Dean watching as she shook her head and Summer sent them a suspicious look. “We’re trying to find Summer a date, we figured since Paige has one in Seth here we could help her cousins with finding one too” added Dean regretting it almost instantly when he seen the look Summer sent his way, to which he put his hands up in surrender and Seth burst into laughter. 

“Its a good job all the guys around here are trustworthy” spoke Summer, seeing Emma gain a little more comfort around the two men, she knew if her older sister and cousin trusted the people to come in and out of the mansion then they wouldn’t be much of a threat to her. “By the way who put officer Bo as my protector?” asked Summer curious to know who assigned a police officer as her protection, although she knew there was a possibility it was her father who had done it. Since Bo worked at the same station her father and uncle did. Summer seen the confusion on both of their features giving her the indication it wasn’t either of them. “You thought it was my dad right?” asked Summer watching as both of them nodded to her question, although she did see something else as well, almost as if they knew something she didn’t. 

“It could have been Bray, Bo is his younger brother. Plus he knows if Paige sent someone to protect you guys it would have to be someone trusted. If it was Bray then expect a new guy, you took Bo out with a single punch so you can imagine what someone who meant harm could do” added Seth revealing if it was Bray who sent Bo to protect her then expect someone else to take his place as he had easily been taken out of the equation by Summer herself. “If it was your dad then he’s sticking around. Plus if Paige gave the order for protection she would have told both of you before she did it” finished Seth knowing Paige would have told both of them what she was doing before. Much like Finn did before setting Seth himself the task of keeping watch over her although the Irishman never told her when he sent Gallows and Anderson to keep watch. It wasn’t long before the four went to the pool area, Dean sitting on one of the chairs besides Renee happily taking their little girl to give her a little time to herself where as Seth took of his boots and rolled up his combats before sitting next to Paige and dipping his feet in the warm waters of the pool. 

Back in Orlando, The Brothers of Destruction had returned to their jobs at the police department. They had returned to Orlando just a few weeks after Paige was released from the hospital although they were aware Summer and Emma would keep them updated with her condition they still worried in case anything else happened. Both men had been invited the annual formal event at the city hall as they normally were, mainly because the work they had put into bringing the illegal business and drug lords down, thrust making the city a safer place. At this moment in time they were working on finding the missing members of Evolution and trying to work out why Jarrett’s crew had arrived in town. They knew from security footage recovered those working for TNA would do whatever it took to get their jobs done including putting innocent people in unnecessary danger. 

“Mark come look at this” called Kane, he had been assigned to the case of where a near war had broken out in the streets of Orlando, Alberto Del Rio and Austin Aries from TNA with who they had identified as Randy Orton and Batista from Evolution. “Look Orton and Batista, they stopped to make sure the people caught in the crossfire were okay and called for help when they realised at least three of them had been hit” added Kane noticing the sudden change in the Evolution members. It made him wonder what had sparked such a change and why a war had suddenly broke out in Orlando between the two factions. Especially when he remembered Evolution had once been at war with Paige and those at Knight’s Raven. 

“Wait go back, stop right there” spoke Mark, looking at the footage he had spotted in the background. On the side of both groups was one of the leading ladies. Stephanie McMahon and Karen Jarrett, he could just about make out from the footage the two seemed to be in a verbal argument about something, just as he spotted when Karen gave the order for her two men to fire at innocent people in the street, almost as if she was trying to prove something. “The two women in the background arguing are Stephanie McMahon one of the three in control of Evolution and Karen Jarrett, Jeff’s wife. Looks like Karen is the one who gave the order to fire. Lets bring her in” finished Mark, watching as Kane nodded before the two of them collected their gear and headed towards the parking lot. 

“Do you think the girls will be attending the annual event this year?” asked Kane noticing Paige’s name was on the guest list as was both Summer’s and Emma’s. Just as he had picked upon Finn’s once again being on there as he had been every year. He knew the event was fast approaching and brought back the memories of what happened at the last one in which Paige, Emma and Summer attended. It was from that particular night Paige began to learn the truth and uncover secrets both men had hidden from her. He could guess if she did attend this one then it would be a lot different. Despite her injury he knew from his own girls she was so much more confident in herself now, she was finally happy and accepted her role as the head and owner of Knight’s Raven. Just as he knew Summer had been able to open her own little jewellery store with the help of her cousin. “She’s doing better Mark, Emma mentioned she was looking for a holiday destination the other day, where as one of the guys there recommend going to her own little island” added Kane remembering when Emma had said that, he knew from that point on Paige was a lot better off than either of them could have imagined. 

“Isle Noir” whispered Mark remembering when Saraya mentioned her family owned a little Island off the coast of Cuba. He had never been there but knew its name and knew Saraya once had hopes of taking their daughter there, especially when they were going to go on family vacations. The vast forests around the island and many beaches offering some entertainment for her as would the waterfalls and natural water pools. Kane turned to look at his older brother with confusion having just heard the whispered words of his brother. “Isle Noir, other wise known as Isle Black, it was a small island off the coast of Cuba, there was several villa’s scattered around the island. Its the island Emma mentioned” explained Mark revealing he knew a little about the island like the area it was located in and about some of the islands contents but that was it. Kane merely nodded as the two of them continued to walk on towards their destination. 

“Okay she is much better off than the rest of us. Her own island, a business and a bunch of high tech secure mansions” responded Kane, knowing in a way Saraya had made sure her daughter would have everything she would need, from people she could trust to safe places to call home and even a huge business to run and do with as she wished. “Remind me again why we tried to keep it from her and why we disbanded our own?” asked Kane, knowing the answers. Back when they had ran they’re own one not many were interested in the illegal side of things, wanting to keep on the right side of the law, but now that type of business was bigger than ever and more in demand than the previous years. With Jarrett’s bunch at Impact formally TNA, Evolution, The Undisputed Era and Knight’s Raven, he knew just in their country alone there was a lot of business, new and old. 

“Because it was what’s best for your girls and wife and what’s was best for Paige at the time. Plus if we didn’t get out then we would have been behind bars by now rather than putting others behind them. Summer and Emma would have grown up visiting their dad in a prison, god knows what would have happened to Paige” replied Mark, knowing Crystal would have no doubt divorced Kane if he ended up behind bars, although she would probably let her girls visit him when they were old enough to decide for themselves. As for his own daughter, he knew she would have likely been raised by a friend of Saraya’s, growing up knowing the truth on who she was and what was rightfully hers. He knew all three young women would have grown up to be very different than they were now. 

“True. I’m willing to bet Paige would have still met Finn, Corey, Dean and Seth though. There’s no way they wouldn’t have come across each other, even if it was just by chance” added Kane, having a feeling his niece would’ve still met the four who have helped her no end. “It was practically fate she met Seth and Dean. As for Finn she’s alive right now because of him, he save her life when she was a teen. You know as well as I do with Corey, she would have ran into him sooner or later, no doubt kicking his ass like she did when they were in school together” continued Kane explaining some of the things, he thought would have happened and how he thought it was fate Seth and Dean had met Paige almost three years prior as well as kept her out of harms way during the attack and following car chase. 

Back in Tampa, Zarah had not gotten out of the pool, sitting on one of the deck chairs while she tried to dry off Jordan ready for him to take his afternoon nap, Dean had taken Freya to the little playroom so she could have her sleep before her afternoon feed. Like always he had taken the baby monitor with him so both he and Renee could keep an eye on their little girl while she slept. AJ and Punk were also out in the garden as was Summer and Emma, all enjoying each other’s company as they either messed about in the pool or relaxed on the deck chairs while catching some rays. 

“So are you guys all set for the annual event in Orlando?” asked Zarah sitting on one of the black mental and fabric deck chairs once she had returned from putting her son in the playroom to sleep for a little while. She looked around at the three couples and two other women scattered around the pool area, a small smile coming to her lips at seeing how they were around each other. Seth was happily swimming in front of Paige who was sat on the pool side with her feet in the water, Dean was putting sun cream on Renee’s back where as Punk appeared to be sneaking upon AJ who was happily fanning herself with something. She knew whatever he had planned would likely end in laughter or pandemonium. 

“Yup, Me and AJ dragged Paige out dress shopping the other day. Much to her protest. Although she did get to see what some of her investments in the others have created” responded Renee remembering going around one of the many shopping malls in an attempt to find an evening gown, AJ had found hers near enough instantly, where as it took Paige a while to find hers along with visiting several different stores. It wasn’t long before there was a loud ear piecing scream, all of them in and around the pool looked over to see AJ practically throw a full clothed Punk into the pool just missing Seth who had quickly swum back over to Paige, although both got hit with the tidal wave created when Punk hit the water. 

“Next time I’m scaring Summer or Emma. Especially if that’s AJ’s first reaction” spoke Punk when he surfaced from the pool, seeing Summer stood at the pool side, AJ standing next to her. He could see Emma on one of the deck chairs staring at him as if to try and persuade him other wise on targetting her next time. Even when she found Aj’s reaction amusing. Like the others in the area she also had a smile on her lips although some were laughing such as both Paige and Seth along with Dean. “Or maybe one of you guys since Emma’s staring smile is rather creepy” added Punk, seeing the way her smile turned innocent upon hearing he would target someone else instead of her, he could only chuckle to himself knowing eventually the two blond women would get used to his tricks and antics much like it would be a common thing for Dean to suddenly crash into things. 

“The girls are set for the event. Just us guys who have to dig out our tux from the back of the closet” responded Dean seeing the way Summer looked over to him, just as he had spotted the look both AJ and Zarah had shared with each other. “Why are you two looking like that?” asked Dean almost afraid of what both dark haired women had in mind. He knew whatever it was, was likely to be fun for the girls but not torture for the guys on the receiving end of it. Plus he wasn’t looking for to the formal event itself although this time he got to go with Renee his beautiful wife which was something he wasn’t able to do the last time he had gone to one of the events. Paige could only chuckle slightly but more at the look Seth had painted on his features, one of dread, confusion and curiosity all mixed together. 

“Oh no you don’t. You boys are going to get new ones” spoke AJ revealing what the look she shared with Zarah had meant. “Us girls have to go out and get new dresses so the least you boys could do is go and get tailor made suits for the event” continued the New Jersey native, the almost crazy look in her eye when she seen her husband was going to attempt to protest to the words she had spoken. “The same goes for Finn, Corey and anyone else around here who is attending the formal evening” finished AJ revealing she wasn’t going to let any of them get away with using old suits or tux they had stashed away in their closet. She knew the boys would no doubt protest about it just as she knew they would go with it in the end as it would put a smile on each of the girls lips at seeing them make an effort in looking good for an event. 

“So how is Nikki going to get here?” asked Renee changing the subject to the men having to go and get tailor made suits to the woman who had offered to look after the both of the young children. “And what sort of things does she have planned for these two?” added the blond Canadian just wanting to make sure her precious little girl was in safe hands and would have fun during her time away from both her parents. She knew from some of the details Punk had already offered Nikki was good with young children due to her two nieces being about the same age as Jordan, maybe a little bit older, but like Zarah she just wanted to make sure everything would be okay while she was away in Orlando. “Does she have all the emergency contact numbers?” finished Renee hoping Punk would have at least debriefed her before telling both mothers about her offer. 

“I will be going out to San Diego with AJ two days before the event and bringing her and her two siblings here. She will be staying in one of the penthouse suites, along with her sister Brie and brother JJ. Yes she has all the emergency contact numbers as well as the mobile number of both you and Dean as well as Zarah’s in case anything happens. The Wyatt’s will also be stationed around the penthouse area” responded Punk revealing all the safety measures being taken to make sure both the woman who had offered her services and the children in which she would be looking after were as safe as possible. “As for activities, she has a few trips to the park, films, creative seasons, a few little games, a mini shopping trip and nap time stories for them” added Punk revealing the woman in question had made sure to include everything possible when it come to fun things to do with the young children. “Oh and face time phone calls with the parents of each one so they get to see each other” quickly finished Punk remembering when Nikki had mentioned that so the parents would have peace of mind their child was okay and the children could see the people they loved so much. 

“So we go to Orlando the night before and come back the day after right?” asked Emma speaking up for the first time since being around the group, she was beginning to feel more comfortable around them and had a hint of a smile come to her lips when she watched Seth help Paige to her feet once he had gotten out of the pool. He soon carried her over to one of the chairs carefully placing her down. She found the act rather sweet, as she was sure the rest of them would as well. “So what’s the plan once we’re there?” quickly added Emma knowing there was a chance both she and Summer would be staying in Orlando when the others returned back to Tampa, their parents were there after all. She knew her father was okay with them being in Tampa since he had been able to review all the security measures put in place and had deemed them the safest he could think off. 

“We have private suites at one of the high end hotels. During the day of the ball a hired hair and make up artist will come and help us ladies get ready, where as they guys get a day to do whatever they feel like, including just sleeping. Then a limo will be coming to pick us up at seven, its a twenty minute ride, the limo will also be taking us back to the hotel after the event or whenever we decide to leave. We return to Orlando the following day” responded Paige revealing what the plan was and the guys had the day to themselves. “Its up to you and Summer if you come back here with us or stay in Orlando” finished Paige revealing her two cousins were free to join them when returning the day after the formal. Just as she could see the kind smiles she got from both who called her cousin in response.


	19. Chapter 19 - Marry Me?

The day of the formal event had finally arrived, as planned those who would be attending it had made their way over to Orlando the night before, making sure they had everything they needed before leaving for the journey. Seth and Dean had succeed in finding dates for both Emma and Summer in the form of Dolph Ziggler and Marek Brave, both of which had happily accepted the job that came with it. Marek was also rather delighted to be able to see his childhood friend again, the duo had spent some of their time together catching up and going down memory lane. 

“You girls ready for today?” asked Finn already used to the large suite they had. A small smile coming to his lips upon realising both mothers were face timing with their children, where as Paige slowly walking around on the rather generous sized balcony, Summer was happily minding her own business where as Emma was flicking through the channels. Becky on the other hand was outside on the balcony with Paige. Most of the boys knew the two girls had come close, Becky had been there to help Paige whenever she needed it during her recovery process thrust giving all those who worried about the woman they called boss and friend peace of mind. Becky had also informed Seth she had no suspicions when it come to what he had planned on doing at the night’s event. 

Dean, Seth, Dolph, Roman, Punk and Marek had been force into tux shopping by AJ, since neither of them had listened to her, when she had mentioned it weeks before hand. Although she was aware her brother in law had been a little preoccupied with something else as had Dean, she had let them off the hook put hadn’t been so kind to the remaining four men in the group of who hadn’t gotten their tux before hand. At this moment the group were in a store that specialised in tux and the matching accessories. Each of them had chosen a few they liked and had gone to the dressing room to try them on, AJ waiting on one of the chairs with a small smile on her lips, especially when she knew the boys would have to show her what it looked like and she would no doubt have to find out the colour of the girls dresses just so they could get the ties in the closest colour to it. 

“Come on. You can’t hide in there forever” called AJ, pacing around the dressing room area a smile on her lips, especially when she knew Seth would be extra picky due to wanting the moment he asked the life changing question to be perfect. “You know you don’t have long to get your tux picked out and then get back to get ready. That goes for you too Seth” added AJ, smiling sweetly at one of the men in the store whom was helping the group out. Punk had explained their situation to him so he knew why she was being picky, but he still gave her the odd look none the less. It wasn’t long before Marek made his appearance, a small smile on his lips as he come out in the black tux most of them had chosen. AJ smiled back as she held up a tie for him in the colour of Summer’s dress, a powdered lavender colour. 

“So Seth plans on proposing tonight. We might be here for a while” spoke Marek, remembering when they were just teenagers, how Seth had all these big things in mind yet none of them involved settling down, so it brought a genuine soft smile to his lips at seeing his childhood friend finally finding that special someone who changed everything for him although he was also aware Seth was also doing something he enjoyed doing when it come to keeping that one special someone safe. “So who is the lucky lady?” asked Marek looking into the mirror while adjusting his tie and spotting Seth exit his cubicle shortly followed by Dean, the older of the two with a small smile on his lips especially since he knew Seth had been getting excited and nervous about the upcoming event. 

“Her name is Paige, she’s the owner of Knight’s Raven and the cousin of your date tonight. Very beautiful and kind, still has her English accent. Raven hair, brown eyes, pale skin. Basically she’s Seth’s dream girl” responded Dean noticing Seth was entirely in black. Both men soon took the tie AJ held out for them, Seth quickly put his on and with ease a small grin coming to his lips at the idea of being able to call Paige his own. He loved her, he knew he did. Every night when on the run he would look at the bracelet around his right wrist and remember who he was doing it for, remembering who was waiting for him and who he hoped to spend his life with. He had so much hope he would make it home to her, just as he now had so much hope she was say yes to marrying him. He knew the date he wanted to get married on if she happened to say yes, just as he knew who his best man would be. 

“I still don’t know what you see in her” spoke Roman upon leaving his cubicle and joining the others, Punk following closely behind him. When the Samoan looked up from doing his last button on the jacket up he was met with distrusting looks, apart from AJ who looked more angry than anything else. “What I don’t, you could have anyone you wanted yet you chose Paige. Why?” asked the dark haired Samoan, he was still in amazement Seth had allowed Punk to join them and be around after the incident which occurred a few weeks before hand. “Plus you have your brother here, if you loved her that much the man who tried to kill her shouldn’t be around or even near her” finished Roman not noticing the look Punk was giving him from behind although he did noticed the angered expression of both Seth and Dean, the latter moving closer to AJ. 

“She wasn’t my target Roman, Evolution learnt from their mistakes and Paige proved to them, they don’t have what it takes to stop her, not even with you at their side. Alright yeah I messed up I hit her by accident, but I stayed and tried to help her even when I knew my life would be in danger. I will spend every day proving to her and Seth how sorry I am for that mistake, I will spend every day trying to show Paige I never meant to take what I did from her” responded Punk watching as Roman turned around to face him, he could still see the anger burning brightly in the eyes of Roman, he knew Roman hated the distrust that was clear to see between them just as he was no doubt conveniently forgetting why Evolution were targetting him. “You turned on us because Seth and Dean made the choice to give you want you had always desired, then you turned on Evolution when you found out Zarah had been with us the entire time. Now you don’t have happiness you have tried to destroy it for others, tell me are you succeeding in your plan?” finished Punk not raising his voice but his anger projecting through his body language and eyes. AJ soon went over to her husband, quickly grabbing hold of his collar and all but dragging him over to mirrors the other side of the room, putting his tie around his neck. 

“There now you boys actually look descent, we better get back to the suite” spoke AJ helping Roman with his own tie although she had no clue who he was going with. She knew at least Corey was expecting some kind of trouble as was Finn due to AJ, Luke and Karl being on watch at the ball as they had been the last time Paige had entertained one of the formal events. “You guys have a few hours to spend doing as you like, including ruffling the girls feathers” added AJ seeing the cheeky grin to pass over Dean’s features upon hearing they could wind up the girls as well, he had found amusement in playing silly sods with Summer and Emma, although he knew one day they would retaliate. “Well you can ruffle the feathers until the hair and make up artists arrive” finished AJ a small smile coming to her lips as she watched each of them nod to her words before heading to the front of the store to purchase what they had tried one, once they had changed back into their normal street clothes. 

“I followed my heart” spoke Seth seeing the cheeky grin Dean had on his lips turn soft upon hearing his words as did both Punk’s and AJ’s. He could also see the confusion of both Dolph and Marek as well as Roman’s although he was sure Roman knew what he was on about he just didn’t want to admit to it or even acknowledge it. “The answer to Roman’s earlier question. I chose Paige because that’s where my heart lead me, to her. She makes me feel alive, free and loved more than anyone else before her. I have no intention of letting her go not when I know she feels the same” continued Seth finally answering Roman’s question on why he had chosen Paige. He had followed the advice Dean had given him, and that had lead him to the safety and loving embrace of the raven haired princess. He knew she loved him as much as he loved her, the smile whenever he entered the room gave it away or her warm tight hugs, even her soft kisses and her happiness to spend time with him. 

With Kane and Mark both men had a rare day off, with Kane happily spending time with his wife and talking to both of his daughters whom he knew were with the small group who came up from Tampa, he was also aware both girls had dates for the evening. Mark, Michelle and Kaia had also joined the pair, this being the first formal event Kaia would be attending and unawares to her the first time she would likely to see her sister since the day she left the Calaway residents in tears. Michelle knew from her husband, Paige was likely to be at the event although this was the first time she had her own invite without the need of her father to drag her along to it. 

“Are the girls okay?” asked Crystal knowing Kane had spoken to all three girls, she could always remember herself and Kane looking after Paige while Mark went on work trips and other things. Just as she could remember how heartbroken she was to learn what her brother in law had done to someone he had once claimed to love. Crystal had taken Paige’s side and had happily kept the secret of her residence when she worked it out a few weeks after Summer had returned from her first visit to Tampa. “I know Summer has been excited about this formal event, saying there is something special going to happen” added the mother of two, her blond hair up in a small ponytail as she pottered around the house she called home with her husband, the pictures of her loved ones on the mantel of the fireplace, including one of Saraya when Paige was just over a year old. 

“They’re fine, currently in a suite at an upscale hotel. Emma has been talking with Zack who told her last week he couldn’t attend the event with her due to family issues in Long Island. She mentioned Seth and Dean found her a date in response and they put him through a whole bunch of tests to make sure it would be fun for her. I believe Paige will be in attendance tonight, Summer mentioned she went dress shopping with Emma, Renee, AJ and Paige. Although she has been concentrating on her health as well” responded Kane knowing his wife was always interested to know what their daughters and nieces were up to. He could remember her telling him they had to let each of them find their own way and discover who they were in their own time. 

“Would be nice to see Paige again, I think the last time I seen her was the last formal event she attended” spoke Michelle, trying to recall when she had actually seen her step-daughter last, she had so many questions for the dark haired beauty yet never had the chance to ask them, she highly doubted whether she would ever get the chance. “I’m sure Kaia would be excited to see her big sister again, despite everything that’s happened in the past” added Michelle, recalling how excited her only daughter was upon hearing Paige would most likely be at the event, although she knew there was also a chance Kaia would have left by the time Paige arrived at the event. She could still recall her daughter asking Mark whether he had made things right so her sister could come home, although she knew he was working on it, both woman knew there was something he wasn’t telling them. 

“I agree, although I know she’s busy with her company to run and helping with getting others on their own two feet. She helped Summer with her jewellery store, made sure there was someone there to help in case anything went wrong” responded Crystal remembering how happy her oldest daughter was when Paige gave her the loan she needed to start up her little jewellery business, the smile was still on her lips and would return whenever someone mentioned the little store. She knew for the time being Emma was happy with her own little job as a model although she was aware her youngest wanted to go on to other things and try out different career paths. “Maybe this time Mark will accept Paige’s decision instead of forcing her away more” added the blond woman, she could recall Kane telling her of that, just as she could remember wanting to knock some sense into the older man so he would realise Paige wasn’t a little girl any more, she was grown woman and one who was more than capable of looking after herself and making her own choices. 

“Its hard accepting them. He loves her and fear losing her. He’s afraid she will go down the same path Saraya went” replied Michelle remembering when Mark had told her the story of Saraya or at least a version of it, she knew there was likely to be things he missed out yet she also assumed they would be less important details. When Michelle looked over to the duo of Kane and Crystal she could see the confusion painted on their features upon hearing Mark was afraid Paige would go down the same path as her mother. “Why are you both looking at me in confusion? You two knew Saraya surely you would know what he’s afraid of” finished Michelle her curiosity getting the better of her, she knew the two before her would have known Saraya just as they would have known most of the secrets Mark had kept over the years. 

“He’s afraid she will go down the same path we went. When Saraya found out she was expecting Paige, she made sure everything was in order so she would have a good life, so Paige wouldn’t grow up the same way she had done. She turned Knight’s Raven from just another illegal business to the biggest one in Europe, made sure Paige had everything she needed growing up and left everything to her in a will. The only thing she and Mark disagreed over was when to tell her the truth. Mark wanted to keep it hidden from her until she was twenty one where as Saraya said she wanted Paige to know the truth on who she was and what empire she would one day inherit. They were both in the illegal side of things but Mark mainly did it for the money where as Saraya was for her family and to give her children a better childhood than she herself had” responded Kane, revealing Saraya’s motivation in the illegal side of things was more so her children would have a happy childhood where they got the things they needed and knew they were loved. “She was a good mother to Paige, made sure she was there, she had even began to teach Paige to read when she died” added Kane going over to the mantle and picking up the photo he had of Paige and Saraya. The red haired woman with a smile on her lips and Paige in her lap as she attempted to teach the young girl to read. 

Back at the hotel, the boys had just returned each of them with the tux or suit in hand. They knew from AJ time was at the up most importance. The boys were free to do as they wished with Seth and Dean deciding to sit on the balcony until they were called to get ready, where as Roman went to at least attempt to make conversation with the woman he loved and the one whom was mother of his first child. Marek and Dolph however were more than happy to raid the snack bar the girls had kindly set up for them. Each of them had also noticed the girls in the main area of the room getting their hair and make up done, AJ being ushered into a seat so her hair and make up artist could get to work on bringing her imaginative ideas true. 

“You getting nervous now right?” asked Dean while both himself and Seth were alone on the balcony, he knew Roman would no doubt join them soon as would Punk. The Ohio native looked over to the slightly younger man when he didn’t respond, he could only smile slightly when he watched Seth nod to his question of beginning to get nervous about the night’s events and what he had planned. “You’ll be fine, she loves you Seth any idiot can see that, you’ve never hurt her or at least not intentionally, and you came back when you knew the coast was clear. If Renee can love and marry a lunatic like me then Paige is your match. Plus your reaction in the store earlier gave it away how much you love her” continued Dean, knowing Seth would understand what he meant. The way Seth had reacted to Roman when he made his earlier remarks about Paige. “You almost punched Roman earlier on for what he said, if it wasn’t for AJ standing between us and Marek standing between you and Roman you probably would have” finished Dean seeing the small smirk appearing on Seth’s features, that giving it away he had hit it right on of what he had been tempted to do. 

“How did it come to this?” asked Seth, leaning on the metal and glass railing of the hotel balcony, he knew there was a good chance he had confused Dean a little bit. “How did it come to both of us distrusting Roman to the point we wouldn’t trust him around the people we love the most?” continued Seth, wondering how they had gone from being as close as brothers and running from Shane McMahon while hiding in plain sight to two of them remaining as brothers and both distrusting the other they had once trusted with their lives. He knew a lot had changed since they had moved but to him it was like the Roman he had knew and trusted had gone, being replaced with a stranger who looked identical and had the same name. “I don’t recognise him any more, its like he’s been replaced with someone I don’t know or recognise, there was a time where I would have trusted him with anything my life included but now I feel as if I can’t trust him with my car keys let alone anything else” finished Seth explaining what he had meant when he had asked his previous questions, it wasn’t long before Punk joined them. Hugging both of them as he normally did, a few pats on the back as he did so. 

“Zarah sent me out here, its time to get ready. Big night ahead of us” spoke Punk revealing one of the two mothers in their mists had sent him out there to fetch the pair so they could begin to get ready. “AJ is still getting her hair and make up done but the others have gone to get changed. The limos should be here soon, just got to decide who’s in which” added Punk explaining the time they had spent outside was actually most of their free time, Dean only nodded where as Seth pushed himself off the rails of the balcony a small excitable smile coming to his lips at the thought of being able to ask the question he had been waiting to ask, the nerves also beginning to rise as the time drew nearer and the thought of asking his princess to be his queen in front of people neither of them really knew and her father. “And nervous little brother turns into an excited one” finished Punk with a small chuckle at seeing how excited Seth was becoming especially since he had spent weeks planning out everything with Summer’s help. He knew Seth wanted this moment to be perfect for Paige, hence why he had chosen that particular event as the place to ask her. 

“Better not keep them waiting. I’m sure Renee would happily kick Dean’s ass and Paige would probably attempt to do the same with me” responded Seth with a smile on his lips, leaving the balcony area shortly after, waving to AJ as he went by. Once he was up the stairs to the actual bedrooms he gently knocked on the door. “Paige” called the Iowan, softness in his voice when he called her name. He soon received in response when she opened the door for him, wearing only her black silk dressing gown. “Ready for tonight?” asked Seth noticing her sparkly black dress lying across the bed with the jewellery she had chosen to go with it next to it and the shoes at the base of the bed. His tux was neatly laid besides her dress as his shoes were next to hers. 

“You mean am I ready to see my step mum and dad again. Not really but with you at my side I’m willing to give it a try” replied Paige accepting the hug he offered. She felt safe and loved when around him or wrapped in his arms. “Lets hope nothing goes wrong at this one. The only good thing that happened at the last one was meeting you” continued the raven haired beauty, she knew or rather expected something was going to happen at the formal event, she could always remember Michelle and her father coming home with a story or two tell about the event she had found rather boring whenever she attended. Seth’s only response was to place a soft kiss to the top of her head and turn her towards her dress, knowing she was probably looking forward to dressing up the least, although she didn’t mind it as long as she could wear her normal comfortable dark colours. It was now he began to run through the mental list of all the things he loved about the woman in front of him, a smile coming to his lips as he did so. She was his just as he was hers. 

An hour or so later seen the group heading to the city hall. Paige, Seth, Dean, Renee, AJ and Punk in one limo where as Summer, Marek, Emma, Dolph, Zarah and Roman were in the other. Both limos set to arrive at the venue just seconds apart. All in the limos almost dreading when they stepped out of the limo, normally due the random by standers wanting to get a look and taking pictures, almost like they were paparazzi and the people entering the normally boring event were some sort of celebrity. Finn and Becky having left early, both wanting to get there so they could work out where to station Gallows, Anderson and Styles, as well as to determined if there would be any threats to those who were under the protection detail. Upon arriving at the building which was hosting the formal event, Seth exited the limo first noticing both brother’s of destruction waiting outside along with their wife’s and in the case of Mark his youngest daughter in Kaia. To which Seth just nodded before holding out his hand in front of the limo offering Paige his helping hand and showing he was a prefect gentleman on night’s like that particular one. As a small group they walked up the steps to the entrance, each of the girls had their arm linked with their date for the evening and bright smiles on their lips where as the boys were more than happy to act as if they were the prefect partner for the evening and fool others into thinking they were just like any others in the city. 

“Zack” called Emma upon entering the main ballroom, she had just reach the bottom of the stairs with Dolph when she had seen the man who she was originally supposed to attend the event with. Dolph had happily released her but informed her he would be by the bar if she needed him. “You said you were in Long Island” added Emma noticing from his body language and facial expression he was hiding something from her and had not expected her to have spotted him so quickly or at all. Her suspicions were soon proven right when another blond woman come over, wrapping her arms around Zack and kissing him sweetly on the cheek, a smile on her lips as she did so clearly none the wiser of who she was or what was going on between the two of them. Emma recognised the woman almost instantly and knew her presence could only mean danger for her cousin and others she loved so much. 

“Emma wait” spoke Zack as Emma walked away from the pair, tears in her eyes. She quickly hid within the crowd of those who had been invited and attempted to make her way over to Dolph at the bar without being caught by the man who had just broken her heart. “Emma” called Zack, his voice ringing in her ears as her vision went blurry from the tears building up, she soon felt a hand wrap around her wrist, pulling her back and into an almost shaded area of the ballroom, she was relieved to see it was Dolph who had pulled her away from the sea of people and the man who was now trying to get her attention so he could explain away what was plain to see. “Emma listen, its not what you think, Laurel is just a friend, I didn’t know how to tell you I was coming here with her so I thought if I didn’t tell you then you wouldn’t mind. I promise you there isn’t anything going on between me and her” spoke Zack when he spotted her again, although he was completely ignoring Dolph who was stood to her side, an unamused expression painted on his features. Emma could only look over to Dolph and shake her head signalling something to him before once again walking away. “Emma” called Zack once again going to follow her but was stopped by Dolph standing in his path. 

“Did you really think she was going to believe that?” asked Dolph looking over to the dirty blond hair man although he could see he wasn’t paying much attention to him if any. Instead he was looking into the crowd of people, whether that was for Emma or Laurel was another matter. “She’s not an idiot, she can see through your lies just as she can probably see it was a mistake trusting you. Do her a favour and leave her be. If she wants to hear your lies then she will come and find you” added Dolph before walking away to find Emma so he could at least help if she wanted it, after all he had promised he would keep an eye on her and be there when she needed someone, as he was sure she needed him now. Like many who worked for Knight’s Raven he had no intention of breaking the promises he made. 

Over at the other side of the ballroom, Dean was happily dancing with Renee showing his gentle side to those around him and the loving side to the woman he had been able to call his own. He knew Renee was unaware of what Seth had planned as were most of them. He could remember Summer helping Seth out with the planning hence the smile the blond had whenever she looked over to the pair of Seth and Paige from her spot with Marek and her parents. When the music ended Dean lead Renee back to the table they had been sitting at before, noticing Seth and Paige were happily watching as the others danced around and had fun, both also looking out for any danger considering what happened the last time they had attended such an event. 

“You two admiring the handy work done to repair all the damage?” asked Dean seeing the way the pair of them looked around, how Paige was content on avoiding her step-mother, no doubt already knowing she had a lot of questions for the raven haired beauty, just as most of them had noticed Kaia wasn’t there as they had been informed she would be. “Wait is this the same room as before? I swear the floor had a different pattern and was in more lighter colours” added the Ohio native, seeing the smile appear on their lips and how both of them looked to each other. Paige shook her head to his question confirming they were in a different room than before. Although she understood why he had initially thought it was the same room. 

“The one from last time is further down the hall” responded Paige, returning her attention to what had gained it before, Renee soon followed her line of stare to see Luke Gallows on the balcony nearest the window, it was clear he was being extra attentive in case anything happened. Karl Anderson was doing the same on the opposite side of the room where as AJ was at the top of the stairwell, keeping a close watch on those inside the room in case someone was there who could pose a threat, other than Laurel although he doubted she would be a threat to them any more. She had made it her personal mission to disappear from the group whom she formerly worked for. Seth soon looked over to Dean and winked while the girls were distracted giving him the signal he had finally gained enough courage to ask the raven haired princess that all important question. 

“Paige” called Seth, pulling her attention away from the two keeping an eye out, and giving those who knew them a sense of security and safety. “We met almost three years ago in this very building, ever since then you’ve been a shining light in my life. You gave me somewhere to go and a place to work when I had nothing, you listened, been a friend and turn my entire world upside down. That year I was on the run I thought about you, and what I wanted for the future. I thought how I was going to get back to you even if you would kick my ass for leaving you behind” spoke Seth saying the little speech he had gone through a million or more times in his head. His smile only got brighter when she chuckled at something he had said. “I know where my place in the world is, I know where I belong and I know words could never describe how much I love you. So Paige Saraya-Jade Knight, will you marry me?” asked Seth finishing off the speech and holding out the engagement ring to her, seeing the surprise cross over her features and mix with the love only he could see. 

“Yes” mumbled Paige, unable to speak any louder due to the general surprise and nerves that had risen when he asked her. She watched as he stood up and placed the engagement ring on her finger, pulling her to her feet shortly after and wrapping her in a tight but loving embrace, placing a soft and passionate kiss on her lips shortly after and to the sound of those who had watched clapping in congratulations. Renee and Dean at the forefront of it, as was Punk and AJ across the room at the bar both of which holding up a glass each. “Home is wherever you are” whispered Paige in Seth’s ear showing she loved him as much as he loved her. She knew who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, and what she wanted to do. Just as she knew she couldn’t have done most of the things she had without the people she trusted so much and without the love of the man who was holding her in his arms. 

“I’m happy for them” spoke Crystal from besides her husband, she always dreamt of the day when each of the girls finally settled down with someone they truly loved. She could remember seeing how protective Seth was of her niece the day Paige had gone to find out the truth. She could see Kane smiling for the happy couple just as she could see the unsure look that passed over Mark’s features, Paige was his oldest daughter after all she knew Mark would put the poor man who wished to marry her through hell and back before approving of such a match, just as she knew he was likely to disapprove due to Seth being part of the world he wished so badly to take her away from. “She’s happy Mark, for the first time since all of this blew up she is here and smiling. You said all you wanted was for your girls to be happy, don’t force her away again” added Crystal knowing her brother in law would like disapprove of his oldest daughter settling down with the same man who had taken her on the run. Crystal could also see the unreadable expression to come to Michelle’s features, it was almost a blank stare, void of all happiness and emotion. Like the other woman had shut herself off from what was happening or she wasn’t all there. 

“Finally the one who deserves his happiness has finally found it” spoke Dean, recalling the times when Seth had his heart broken, every time he had picked himself back up again with so much hope of finding that one special someone for him. Each time he had thrown himself into his work to distract himself from that sore subject, especially when the affair between Zarah and Roman was made known. He had concentrated on protecting Paige and had unwittingly focused all his attention on that one person who he had been looking for. “Can’t wait for the wedding brother, can already see its going to be unique and full of surprises” added Dean as he and Renee gave the pair their congratulations and a friendly hug each. He knew Renee was happy to call Paige a sister, just as she had done the same with AJ. They were like a little family always there to support each other even when they didn’t see eye to eye on some things. 

“Congratulations” came a voice behind the engaged couple, when the pair turned around they were met with the sight of Stephanie and Hunter, both of them with genuine smiles on their lips as they held a glass of champagne each. “To your happiness and to our long lasting peace” spoke Stephanie remembering when she had personally met with Paige to discuss to the possibility of working together for the time being and creating peace between them, she had also spoke of merging with Knight’s Raven as she could see they were the better ones. Because of that meeting she had gotten to know her former enemy rather well and could see Paige wouldn’t use violence unless she was given no other choice. Just as she could see Paige was not a threat to anyone other than those who had done something to her.


	20. Chapter 20 - Our Brotherhood

“He’s a criminal, are you really going to let your oldest daughter marry a man who is known to have dipped his hands in that kind of thing? Not to mention you arrested him a while back” asked Michelle almost outraged her step daughter had said yes to marrying the man who had asked her, although she had only met him that one time three years prior she knew he had his hands in the illegal side of things. It scared her to think Paige could trust let alone love someone who had been in that kind of business. Crystal looked over to the woman in question curious to know what she seen wrong with it when both Michelle and herself had married men and had children by two whom were in that kind of business. 

“You married me, even when you knew what I had previously done. Even when you knew the type of man I had once been” responded Mark showing Michelle she too had married someone who had dipped his hands into breaking laws around the world for profit. “He makes her happy Michelle, for the first time since everything blew up she is truly happy, I’m not going to destroy that or lose her again by making the same mistakes twice. If this is what she wants then she has my support, even if I don’t agree with her running Knight’s Raven” continued the father of two, a small smile on his lips as he remembered when she had began to trust him again by writing the letter, although it had also informed him she would never return to living in Orlando. “I refuse to have a helping hand in destroying her happiness again” finished Mark revealing he would rather let her do as she wished than losing altogether despite knowing her running the business could result in that. 

“She has the best protection. The mansion she calls home has a state of the art security system. No one will get close to her unless she wants them too. If they wanted to do her harm they would have to get through a near impenetrable mansion which has flexi and bullet proof windows, hand print recognition and coded entrances and blast proof interior. Those mansions could stand a nuclear blast. Not to mention the security team around the place and the little security hub. No one is gonna get near her without someone noticing and stopping them” spoke Kane revealing just how protected his niece was and why he was okay with Emma and Summer going to visit as often as they did. “She allowed me to take a look at the security the mansions have. To say Saraya thought of everything for her princess really is the understatement” added Kane a small smile creeping over his lips as he thought of how safe those who called the mansion home were. 

“That’s different. You had already left the business by then, you were trying to raise your daughter the best you could as a single parent. Seth hasn’t left that business behind, nor does it seem to me like he wants to” responded Michelle revealing in her mind the two men were very different, her husband had already left the illegal business he once ran and that entire life behind him, Seth on the other hand was still very much involved in that kind of business and life style. Yet neither her husband or her brother in law seemed realise he was more dangerous to Paige than anyone else, she worried what would happen if he decided one day he wanted control of the company and killed Paige himself to gain what he wanted the most. 

“Is it different. Love is love, for the first time in so long she is happy, yet you stand here making the same mistakes as Mark made years before hand. Did you learn nothing from what happened. She’s not a child any more. She trusts Seth and those around her then that’s good enough for me. Plus it was as clear as anything to see he loves her as much as she loves him” replied Crystal saying what she could see and also knowing what would happen. She wouldn’t be able to stand it losing her niece again, just as she doubted Mark or Kane would be able to handle losing her again because of the actions of another. It was clear both of them had learn from their past mistakes and would now do anything to make sure she knew the truth and was as safe as she could possible be. 

“They’ve never hurt her. The one who did stayed behind to help despite knowing his life was at risk. He also told the truth on what happened and who his true target was. Through his attempt to protect the people he loves he ended up hurting her” came the voice of Summer revealing she and Emma had stayed behind when they other returned to the hotel, or at least that was what they thought, they soon learnt other wise when they seen the group standing there together. Although they had noticed the Samoan was missing. Crystal could only smile upon seeing the group, if she didn’t know any better she would say they were family rather than a group of friends. Her smile only grew when she seen the couples of the group stood together the boys keeping their partner close so no one could take them away and making sure they were protected against anything that could pose a threat to them. 

“I have no intention of hurting Paige, just like none of these guys are going to hurt the person they love the most. We will do whatever it takes to protect them, even if that means leaving them behind” spoke Seth revealing no matter what he loved Paige and would do all in his power to make sure she was happy and safe even if that meant letting her go so she could find another who could give her the happiness she desired. He was however determined to give her that happiness she had been looking for, he knew she wanted someone to love her and to become a mother having her own little family, just as he was well aware she just wanted to help those who called her boss and saw her as family, just as she preferred to be call friend rather than boss. 

“Look after her and you have my blessing. Just let us know when the wedding is and the venue and will be there” replied Mark giving his blessing and allowing his oldest daughter and the one in which had been born a princess to marry the man who had stood by her side and did all in power to make sure she was safe since he had met her. As a father he couldn’t ask for more than someone who would be there for her when she needed it most. He just hoped Kaia too would also find someone who treated her as Seth had treated and loved Paige over the years. “I can see you make her happy just as you love her. Just please keep my princess safe and protected no matter what” added Mark allowing them to leave although he noticed both Summer and Emma stay behind, almost like they were spending some time with their parents before deciding whether to go back to Tampa with the others or follow along a few days after. 

Elsewhere in Orlando, those who worked for Evolution had been doing their best to keep those who were employed by TNA or Impact as they now called themselves attention away from the formal event that was happening at the city hall and off those who ran Knight’s Raven. Stephanie and Hunter had quickly figured Jeff and Karen Jarrett were going to try and eliminate Paige at some point just as they knew they had a mole in their midst, after all their wasn’t any other explanation for how the Jarrett’s knew of their sensitive and secret information or about the planning they had been doing without someone in their ranks telling them or passing on that particular information. 

“So what are we going to do to flush out this mole?” asked Stephanie wondering what they could possible do to find the identity of the mole and get rid of them before any more information was leaked to their enemy. On the phone was Paige, Seth and Dean, along with Corey and Finn all of which had helped them so far since they had made an alliance. It was rather clear to Stephanie and Hunter that neither of them trusted Roman either at the moment although they couldn’t tell if that was for work reasons or for personal ones. “Whomever it is, is giving the Jarrett’s all the information we have on you lot as in Knight’s Raven and also about the mansions you had around the city. Although lucky enough we didn’t record where you current location” added Stephanie thankful none of them had gotten around to that as she was sure there would have been a lot of danger heading the way of those who Jarrett had targetted years prior and a hefty reward for the mole who had given them the information. 

“Round up everyone who used to work for Jarrett’s band of goons, interrogate them one by one, if you don’t think that worked them call them back again one at a time and tell them something different. Whichever piece of information gets the Jarrett then you will know who your mole is” responded Finn giving them a few ideas and the quickest way to get the mole, he had already figured it was someone who worked for Jarrett before, as the others did have a reason to go to the man nor would they know how to contact him let alone actually find his hiding place. “As soon as you find out who it is let us know. I would like a personal meeting with them, see if they want to continue passing on sensitive information when I’m done with them” finished Finn, he knew the people around him would understand what he meant and what he had in mind to make the poor double agent think twice. 

“I would suggest finding out what sort of information Jarrett wants first. Then when it comes to tell each one something different it will be believable. Use something to do with us, that should gain his attention” added Dean quickly figuring out there was a high chance that Jarrett and his band of goons were once again after Paige, after all why else would he move his entire band from Tennessee to Orlando. The only reason any of them could think of was to finish what he had started years prior and apparently unaware she was not about to be victimised again or about her alliance with Evolution. “We’ll do what we do best over here and protect the princess along with finding out their secrets. I’m sure Paige has a trick or two up her sleeve” added Dean making it known what it would be like over their end, after all Evolution were no strangers to what she could do as most of them had ended up behind bars from being outsmarted by her. 

“Okay, thank you and congratulations on your engagement Seth and Paige. Sending our best to you” spoke Hunter in reply and congratulating the recently engaged couple. He had heard about it from his own employees who had gone to the event, just as Stephanie was happy to see being in the illegal business hadn’t stopped some of them from finding their happiness. He wondered if any of his own ones besides those who had already found their happiness would go on the journey to find their own. He knew Randy had already found his in Kim, as had some of the others in Batista, even Heath had found his although he was aware there were some who didn’t like the idea of finding someone to settle down with, seeing it more as a bad idea due to putting others they may love in danger. It wasn’t long before they heard the beep of the phone to signal the ones on the other end of the line had hung up to return to their own business. 

“How many have we got here that used to be employed by Jarrett?” asked Stephanie, she knew there was a few of them such as ECIII, Kurt Angle, Bobby Roode, Rodrick Strong and off course Samoa Joe who worked under her brother, she also knew there was some who worked for Knight’s Raven just as she knew it couldn’t have been any of them due to the information being leaked was that of Evolution rather than Knight’s Raven. “Call them all in, we will do what Finn suggested and given them all a random pieces of information, whichever one gets to Jarrett then that’s the one we interrogate” added Stephanie going with the idea the one known as the Demon King had suggested. 

“That means we will have to give them made up pieces of information to do with Knight’s Raven. It will put them at risk especially if someone is using the mansion you have written down, although I will admit those mansions are like impenetrable fortresses” responded Hunter knowing they would be risking the safety of those they now had an alliance with, although he knew it was also their idea he still didn’t want to hurt any of them as he had once done. He didn’t even want to think how they would respond in retribution now, especially after what happened the last time when the young owner of their former rival company had responded to their constant attacks. “But I also know we don’t have any choice, if we don’t do it then all information we have is going to be leaked to Jarrett including our plans for him, either way we could be caught in the middle of a deadly war, especially if Jarrett and his band of goons happen to be successful in during Paige out of her hiding place and in to an open field” finished Hunter realising there was no other choice for what they had to do, although he had made it rather clear he didn’t like the idea especially when Paige was the only one keeping them out of prison at the moment. 

“Send them a message and get them to question Roman as well. He had access to the information currently being leaked. If he is the mole then they be in more danger than they realise” came the voice of Shane as he re-entered the office, it had dawned on him while he had gone to fetch a coffee top up that Roman had been with them and had access to all of the information currently being leaked, just as there was a chance he now had access to information regarding what Knight’s Raven were up to or even the security plans in place. He had a feeling Roman wouldn’t have access to such information especially when it concerned the safety of the one they called Princess. 

At the hotel Dean and Renee went to the balcony of the room, deciding to spend some quiet time together before returning to the city and mansion they called home, AJ and Punk had decided to challenge each other to complete the jigsaw puzzle they had started the night before despite it being in the late hours of the night. Where as Summer and Emma were spending the night with their parents and would return to them in the morning if they were going to be joining them on their journey back to Tampa. Zarah on the other hand had settle for looking at pictures of her son whom she knew she would be returning to the following morning, Finn had decided to allow Becky to return to her own hotel room where as he return to his own with his demons but making sure the others were where they were supposed to be. Seth and Paige however returned to their own room, Seth being a romantic and attempting to carry Paige bridal style up their stairs much to her amusement and of those who had spotted what he was up to. 

“So soon to be Mrs Rollins how are you feeling?” asked Seth his everlasting smile still placed on his lips as he looked over to the woman who had stolen his heart and point blank refused to give it back, but had given her own to him in response. He knew she was different from everyone else, yet he had been attracted to her none the less and happily went on the journey of self discovery with her. He soon went to stand by her side on the balcony that came with their little section, looking up at the stars as she was doing and seeing how the engagement ring on her finger sparkled in the light coming from the room and from the moon above them. He wasn’t to surprised when she moved closer to him, a small smile coming to her lips at being able to do so and the name he had called her. 

“Well all things considered I’m doing fantastic How about you? Still in total shock I didn’t run from the building screaming?” asked Paige in response her smile becoming a little sarcastic at the comment she had made at the end. She could also see Seth’s smile no doubt from the mental images he now had of her running from a building in a formal dress and heels, she knew that would be entertaining for anyone who seen it especially those who knew her. “Well it’s official, Paige Knight is now engaged to Seth Rollins and the truce between Knight’s Raven and Evolution is now permanent despite the things that happened in the past, and the leak Evolution are currently dealing with” added Paige feeling as Seth wrapped his arm around her, wrapping her in a warm and loving embrace, that alone bringing another loving smile to her lips. As did the fact her father had given them his blessing, she knew he had finally realised she was happy with Seth and running Knight’s Raven despite the danger that come with it. 

“In shock nope. I had faith you wouldn’t be afraid. In love definitely, my dreams of being with you for the rest of my days is coming true. Plus now I know for sure the love I have for you is returned. There isn’t anywhere else I want to be other than at your side” replied Seth a small loving yet soft smile coming to his lips as he leant down slightly to press a single kiss to her temple. He had lost count how many times he wondered what moments like this would feel like or how many times he admired both Dean and Punk for finding that special someone, yet now he had it he didn’t want to let it go, he felt the love and the peacefulness that come with it, just as he felt the satisfaction whenever he seen her look and smile knowing it was aimed at him and he was the one who got to call the beautiful mysterious princess his own. “Maybe now we can put things right with Roman, either that or he has to find his own way” added Seth, wondering now if he could put the almost feud with Roman to the side and move forward, he knew the bad blood started between the two of them when he was told about the affair, yet Zarah had been the more grown up one about it, especially when they helped her with her pregnancy and adjusting to life as a new and first time mother. 

“Go talk to him. I’ll be here when you get back. Its about time to put everything behind the pair of you and Dean too. To try and move forward, see if you can bring your brotherhood back or at least attempt to save what’s left of it” responded Paige, a bright smile on her lips as she placed a soft and gentle kiss on his lips before sending him away. She knew the three men had to solve their problems, they had already gone their separate ways once that being on bad terms with one of them, she knew if they were going to move forward or on then they needed to work out their differences and put it behind them as she was sure Renee had also realised. Seth could only nod as he held her tightly in his arms before leaving the room with the words I love you lingering in the air. 

“Roman” called Seth as he walked down the stairs, Dean came in from the balcony having received a text from Seth about what he was planning on doing, both men followed the one who called himself the Architect when he left the hotel room heading down to the lobby and to the small bar there. Dean could tell Roman was curious about what was happening. The three hadn’t spent quality time together as brothers for years, the last time having been before the affair came to the knowledge of Seth. He had to admit he missed it but also questioned why the sudden change of heart. He soon joined the two waiting at a table for him, both men could obviously see his uncertainly and curiosity on the motivation behind the sudden get together. 

“We’re going to sort this mess out aren’t we?” asked Dean seeing Seth nod to his question as the round of drinks they had ordered on the way in were brought to the table by a waitress, the only one of which paying her any attention other than a thank you being Roman. “I’m guessing we’re gonna be start from where it all went downhill and wrong for the three of us as brothers?” asked Dean again once again watching as Seth nodded while sipping on his drink at which point Dean looked over to Roman with uncertainty wondering if the older Samoan would be willing to accept his part in the down fall of their brother hood. 

“Not just Roman, us to. All three of us did something that resulted in the brotherhood we once shared going down hill. All three of us made decisions and did things that lead us here. Its time we talk and get this sorted. Both of you have a child and Roman you were happy once its time we get back to where we were or at least attempt to salvage what remains of our brotherhood before its gone for good” explained Seth revealing it wasn’t just Roman who was responsible for how their relationship and close friendship had gone, it was all three of them to blame, all three of them had made decisions which lead to where they currently were. Thrust to Seth all three of them had to make the decision of where they go from their current point. Do they try and save what they once had or do the go their separate ways but be there for when they need each other in the future. “We made a decision too Dean. It was us who decided to walk away after the affair come to light, maybe things would be different if we tried to talk over things” finished Seth sharing his opinion of the decision the pair of them had made that could have lead them to where they were now. 

“I guess mine was not being neutral ground in the argument between the two of you. If I had stayed neutral then maybe Roman there wouldn’t have gone rogue and joined with Evolution and then maybe then they wouldn’t have contacted Punk about an assassination on Roman. I know if it was me and Roman arguing then Seth there would have neutral and given some sound advice as well as helped us get back to where we are now. Maybe if I had then we would still be brothers and the trust would still be there” spoke Dean owning up to what he believed his mistake was when it come to how they ended up where they were now, now he looked back on it he knew in a way Roman was right, he had turned his back and favoured Seth when he should have just helped them both to see they were still brothers. 

“I should have listened when you tried to explain your actions Roman. I should have at least heard your side of the story on both the affair and the incident with Paige when she was caught in the cross fire. Maybe then the trust wouldn’t be broken” said Seth as he remembered the events that had taken place and also how he could have played a part in that. “If I had just listened to you and spoke to you about it maybe you wouldn’t have joined with Evolution and forced the pair of us to run. Then maybe you and Zarah would be on good terms to” finished Seth wondering if Roman would have still turned them over to Evolution in exchange for his own freedom had they just listen to and spoken to each other about what had happened. Dean could only nod and wonder the same thing, he too was curious to know how things would have turned out but knew it would only be what if’s they couldn’t change the past no matter how much they wanted to or what happened. 

“I guess mine would be several things, the affair with Zarah, not being honest with either of you. Losing faith in both of you and joining Evolution, turning on you for no reason other than a misunderstanding and finally for allowing you two to convince me moving to Orlando would be a good idea” spoke Roman listing some of things he believed were a mistake and had lead to their current situation, he was surprised to see they agreed with most of them yet had given each other that look when he listed moving to Orlando as a mistake. “To me uprooting was a mistake, if we had stayed in Connecticut then we wouldn’t have gotten involved with Knight’s Raven or the war that was going on, nor would we be here where we have lost sight of who we are as a team” added Roman remembering what life was like before they had uprooted, how happy each other them were. Even how Dean had hidden his relationship and marriage from everyone including both Seth and Roman. That being one of the only things to come from the move to Orlando, Dean revealing his marriage to them. 

“And Seth would be raising your son as his own, Renee would be dead and Freya wouldn’t have been born. Paige would most likely have been killed, Knight’s Raven would be gone and we would be in hiding right now from Evolution finding us and becoming the most powerful force in our world” responded Dean saying some of the things that would have happened had they stayed in Connecticut, he knew moving to Orlando was the best decision they could have made if only for their own survival, they had just unwittingly walked into the war Finn was helplessly trying to fight to protect Paige from their own enemy at the time. “Seth too would have likely been dead by now, Shane would have realised he was the brains and hunted him down, me being my reckless self would have probably gotten myself killed to avenge Seth or just because of having to live without Renee” added Dean explaining how things could have been so much different in a worse way than they already were, how Roman could have ended up being the last hound standing if they had stayed in Connecticut as he had clearly wanted. 

“Our mistake wasn’t moving here. It was being dishonest and keeping secrets from each other. Dean if we knew about Renee sooner we would have protected her as we protect all of our own. And Roman if you had come clean with me about the affair with Zarah then I would have listened, instead I had to hear it from Dean. But if it didn’t happen then I wouldn’t have found Paige, I wouldn’t have learnt the lessons I did and we wouldn’t be here right now. We just have to accept that we all had a helping hand in where our brotherhood has ended up, we all made the decisions that lead here. We are all responsible for the Hounds disappearing. We just have to make the choice do we work on our friendship and brotherhood so future generations have something to inherit one day or do we end this now and go our separate way, but keep to the pact of being there when we need each other” spoke Seth showing although bad things had happened some of it had lead to something good and all of them had leant important lessons they may not have learnt otherwise. Just as he had pointed out all of them were responsible for where they had ended up and all of them had to make the decision of where they were going from there. 

“Just got to consider other things now. Seth you have Paige and your future with her to think about, as Roman has his son and I have both Renee and my daughter to think of while making this decision. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to either of them” responded Dean knowing each of them had something to think about when it come to making their choices. He knew his wife and daughter would come first, after all he would be devastated if he lost either of them, just as he knew they would lose Seth if anything happened to Paige. “Work on your relationship with Zarah Roman. That’s what’s best for your son. As for what happens with us, let time decide. If we drift back together again then we know our brotherhood was meant to be if not then at least we have memories of a time that could have gone the opposite and we also know we’ll always be there for each other no matter what. Just promise me no matter where we end up we will always answer when another calls for help” finished Dean deciding to let time decide their fate. Since Roman had other things to work out especially with Zarah and Seth had a wedding to help plan. 

“So that’s it. We let time decide what happens to us?” asked Roman curious about the decision although he could understand it. They all had something else to focus on now, they all had their own priorities to put first. He knew Dean was right two of them were fathers and the other was about to settle down with that one special someone. He watched as both Seth and Dean nodded to his question. “I guess I’ll go sort things out with Zarah, see if she’s willing to forgive me for the sake of Jordan” spoke Roman a small smile on his lips as they finished their drinks before heading back up to the room, for the first time in years enjoying each other company and the peaceful quietness between them. 

A/N – Look out for Book 2 coming soon. Only a few more chapters of this one one to go. Thanks for reading everyone.


	21. Chapter 21 - A Special Day

“You alright buddy?” asked Dean, he soon looked to his left to see Seth looking out the window overlooking the generous size back garden. A small smile coming to his lips as the final preparations were being made for the reception the following day. The canopy had been set up as Summer was outside directing the help where to set the tables up, Emma was going around putting the final decorative touches on the tables which had been like the glitter and the black bows on the back of the chairs. The rest would be done tomorrow before for the wedding. The Iowan soon turned to his best friend with a small smile and nodded to his question, he knew the girls had had a pretty wild night out for Paige’s bachorlette party the week before hand, as evident when they found a strange car parked in the middle of the front lawn and a rubber floaties around the lamps in the entrance hall. 

“Just trying to work out what the girls got up to. The car was Corey’s but he can’t seem to remember when he gave them the keys, and the guy from the swimming shop in town said they got at least ten floaties. Yet only two have appeared” responded Seth curiosity getting the better of him. He had assumed he had a wild night out, with waking up handcuffed to Dean in a fountain, Punk and Finn spark out on the side of the fountain both covered in some sort of paint or slime. Roman and Corey nowhere to be found. “I thought our night out was crazy but seems the girls had way more fun” added Seth seeing the smirk creepy on Dean’s features as the memory of how they woke up come back to him. 

“Well you’ll be a married man soon then you can ask your said princess all about it” replied Dean a cheeky smile coming to his lips upon realising Seth was the second one of their little group to find someone they wanted to settle down and spend their life with through what they had chosen to do. He wondered if Roman would ever find that special someone out there waiting for him or if he was doomed to lose everything he once cared about. It was already obvious that Zarah was only allowing him to be around her because it was best for their son if both his parents were in his life. “Maybe Roman will find that special someone too. Might actually do him some good. Since he’s rather happy destroy things with his actions at the moment” added Dean, looking over to where Roman was in the back garden. He was keeping a close watch on the girls there. Although Summer and Emma seemed to be fine on their own. They had however put him to work with putting the chairs around the tables so Emma could follow along after and put the decorations on them. 

“Can always hope. I’ll give him that he’s trying to make a mends. He asked Finn if there was anything he could do to help with Paige the other day. To which Paige actually replied make things right with us. Plus he’s on Emma duty at the moment, as well as being Michelle and Kaia’s body guard during the wedding and reception” responded Seth a small smile on his lips to realise all his wife to be wanted was for the trio formally known as the Shield to be on good terms again. Plus she was showing her trust in him by giving him the responsibility of her step mum and younger sister’s safety. Seth soon sighed at the thought of having to spend another day and night away from Paige, although he knew the next time he seen her would be at the alter when they said their vows and become husband and wife. 

“Don’t want to be parted again huh?” asked Dean recognising the look to pass over the younger Iowan’s features as well as the sadness the sigh had echoing in it. The memories of when he secretly married Renee years before hand coming to mind, just as the year they spend on the run also coming back. “She’ll be there walking down the isle. Plus you know she will be safe at Lunatics Haven. With the Demon’s around to keep her and the rest of the girls safe. And you get to spend your honeymoon on the private island which Finn has been working to restore. You really are marrying a princess, who loves you as much as you love her” added Dean pointing out the safety of the girls was always going to be top priority, as well as how Paige was basically a princess in the eyes of all those worked for Knight’s Raven. 

“I suppose your right, I can at least look forward to seeing Miss Paige in the colour no one could imagine her in” responded Seth, although already missing her, he knew this time tomorrow he would be waiting at the alter and hopefully watching her walk down the isle. “How’s Freya doing?” asked Seth, remembering being there when Dean had said he would look after his daughter well Renee enjoyed her me time with Paige. He was well aware Summer and Emma would be joining the four girls already there, just as he was looking forward to the guys joining him in his and Dean’s mansion for the evening. Ready for the wedding the next day. 

“She’s missing her mum but other than that she’s okay. Got her favourite blanket and teddy bear as well as a picture of Renee” replied Dean, a small smile on his lips as he looked at the little monitor that showed what was going on in the nursery and with his sleeping little princess. “She misses aunt Paige too so I put a picture of her in the room as well” added Dean revealing his daughter missed the bride to be just like the soon to be groom did, Seth could only smile softly at hearing that, especially when he realised Freya would likely grow up thinking Paige was her biological aunt, unaware she was just a close friend of the family and someone who loved the little girl so much. He knew Paige and most of them around would do anything for both Freya and Jordan as well as for the children of anyone who worked under the Knight’s Raven name. 

Over at Lunatics Haven, Finn was in the little security hub while the girls were trying to find which bedroom was to be theirs, Luke Gallows had gone a head and assigned each of them a room and also turned one of the others in a showroom for the dress, placing Paige’s wedding dress in the centre surrounding by the two bridesmaid dresses and the one belonging to her maid of honour. He had also placed the specially made outfits for the two who would be guests out on a manakin as well so they could see what the final product looked like ahead of the wedding. 

“The girls doing okay?” asked AJ Styles upon entering the room and seeing Finn watching the many monitors with his feet up on the desk. He could also see Luke and Karl through the monitors helping the girls to find their assigned rooms. As well as watching as car pulled up through the drive way. “Are we expecting anyone?” added AJ, not recognising the plates on the car or the car itself, he soon went into protective mode as he got ready to push to the button which but the mansion in lock down and seal all those inside it within the impenetrable walls. Finn also took his feet off the desk taking his job as head of security a little more serious when he tapped something on the keyboard and brought the camera with the unknown car on to a bigger screen. 

“Its Paige’s uncle” responded Finn when he noticed the driver was actually her aunt Crystal. “They mentioned they would be bringing something over for the traditional part of the wedding. The something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” continued Finn, a small smile on his lips as he opened the front door for the pair from his seat at the security hub. “Kane is also the one who will be walking her down the isle, where as the rest of her family will be in the front row watching the wedding as guests” finished the Irishman, a small smile on his lips as AJ went out to meet the pair knowing Finn would stay true to his word and watch from the hub to give all four girls peace of mind everything would okay and their safety would be top priority as always. 

AJ soon met the couple of Kane and Crystal in the entrance hall of he mansion, both of them looking around to see the rather different layout and features of Architects Armoury Mansion, although still grand the colours were much lighter, being silvers and gold’s along with neutral ones. Kane soon noticed the other man waiting for them near the stairs, a neutral expression on his features, although a small welcoming smile soon come to his lips as he waved for them to follow him, allowing them to see their niece before the special day and give her something for the wedding. 

“Are they safe here?” asked Kane, noticing the layout of the mansion was drastically different from the one his niece called home, yet he could see it also had the same state of the art security system to protect those inside from any dangers. “And what’s this mansion called?” added the much taller and older man, his curiosity crystal clear to hear in his voice as he looked around the stair case and halls and he went around them, a smile soon formed on his ageing features when he he heard the sound of the bride to be’s voice. The happiness in her voice bouncing off the walls and echoing around the section of the mansion they were heading towards. 

“Yeah their safe, there is four of us here to keep them safe, along with a safety bunker in the basement, the security is the same as in her own place. This one originally belonged to Dean and Renee but they live with Paige and Seth now. Its called Lunatics Haven” responded AJ, standing aside when he got to the double door entrance that lead to Paige’s rather generous sized guest bedroom, Renee of course having the master bedroom. “The brides bedroom. Karl and Luke are around up here so if you need help just shout for them, both myself and Finn will be down stairs” added AJ his thick ascent coming through and showing he wasn’t from the Florida area. He soon left the couple after banging on the doors and informing the twenty six year old inside her aunt and uncle were there to see her. 

Paige soon opened the door to them, hugging both of them tightly and allowing them to enter her room for the evening, Crystal looked around to see the black bedding on the bed as well as some of the things she would be needing for the following day. Both noticed the relaxing aura in the room, the sense of peace and happiness. Just as they could see the bright smile on the lips of the woman who would be walking down the isle the following day. It was rather apparent to Crystal the young woman before he was ready for the next step in her life, just as it was rather obvious she was ready to settle down with that one special someone. 

“We brought you something for the traditional side of things” spoke Crystal, her voice sounding as if she was shouting in the quiet room as it bounced off the walls. Kane soon held up the box he was hiding behind his back, carefully opening it to reveal a small silver hair comb. “Something borrow as this comb once belonged to your mother, something old, she wore it to her school prom. Something new and something blue. Kane and I added the black and blue gems on to it” added Crystal seeing how Paige carefully picked up the hair piece the gentleness in her touch showing she was generally surprised to see the comb just as it was obvious to the pair she was also proud to get to wear it on one of the most special days. 

“I took the comb when your dad got rid of or destroyed everything of your mothers. I saved it knowing she would have wanted you to have it and because I knew you deserved to have something that belonged to her. By wearing she will be there with you when you walk down the isle tomorrow” added Kane revealing he had taken the comb and kept hold of it in the hopes of giving it to his niece when the right time arose. He knew she had now become the woman Saraya had hoped for, she had realised she was a princess in her own rights, she no longer feared or cared what others thought and she had found that one special someone along with the truth. He soon accepted the hug he received from his niece, a soft smile forming on his lips as he rubbed her back and looked over to his own wife. The words Crystal had spoken years ago coming back to his memory as he hugged Paige back. It wasn’t long before the moment was brought to an end by the soft knocking on the door. 

“Sorry to interrupt princess. There’s a special surprise waiting you and the girls now Summer and Emma had arrived” spoke Luke when he popped his head through the door. A small smile coming to his lips when he seen the hair piece Paige had hold of and the nod Kane sent his way. There had been so many things Kane had wanted to tell those around the mansion yet never had the will to tell them until now. He knew what he had to say would surprise so many of them. “You girls ready for this?” asked Luke once he had lead Paige, Kane and Crystal down the hall to one of the other rooms, AJ carefully linked arms with her soon to be sister in law, while Renee stood between Summer and Emma, all of which gave Luke the answer he had been waiting for their voices filled with excitement over what they were about to see. Luke nodded shortly after and opened the doors behind him, revealing the dresses and accessories to the girls, he watched as the others did when Paige carefully placed the hair piece with her other pieces of jewellery for the big day. 

“She really is the princess she was born to be now. Saraya would be so proud and just as excited to see her little girl all grown up” whispered Crystal to Kane as she handed him the envelope he had given her before leaving their own residence the day before hand. Crystal could only smile when she noticed a picture of Saraya just behind Paige’s wedding dress, noticing it was the same one that was also on the mantle of her own home. It was only now did she see the strong resemblance between Saraya and Paige, just as she could see Paige was more like her mother than the girl realised. “Its time to tell her the entire truth Kane. The part even her father didn’t know” added Crystal giving her husband the boost of confidence he needed to tell their niece the truth on something. Kane soon waved AJ Styles over and asked if he could fetch Finn, the Georgian soon followed as requested only after making sure the girls would be in safe hands with Luke and Karl. He returned ten minutes later with the Demon King. 

“There’s something I want to tell everyone in the room” spoke Kane, his voice a little louder than the rest to gain their attention. A small nervous smile appearing to curl the corner of his lips as everyone in the room turned their attention to him, the girls stood together with AJ and Finn behind them, Crystal behind him as if she was either stopping him from running away or giving in the boost he needed to go through with what he wanted to say. “I know there has been a lot of questions regarding Knight’s Raven. Why Mark never found it? How Finn come to have control of it while Paige was growing up? Even how you lot who protected Paige were able to do so without Mark noticing? Well” added Kane, pausing to regain some of his lost composer and to regain control of the nerves he had. “After Saraya’s death and Paige inherited it, Mark did want to destroy the company and everything that was a reminder of her. I hid the company from him and made sure he never found it, I couldn’t live with myself knowing Paige would grow up never knowing the truth, so I merged it with the one both me and Mark ran and hired Finn’s father to keep it hidden and going until Paige discovered her true heritage. To make sure he never noticed you three following her, I said I hired you as extra form of protection, with the help of Corey I was able to get Knight’s Raven overseas. You deserved to know the truth Paige, even if your dad didn’t want you to know” finished Kane seeing how they looked over to him, where as Finn just nodded, showing he had worked it out a while ago but kept it to himself. 

“The items in the vaults at Princess Mansion in England, some of them were saved by your uncle before your father could destroy them. Others my own father tracked down” added Finn revealing Kane had saved more than the hair piece and his own father had done what he could to find the other pieces of jewellery that both men had seen as rightfully hers. Paige smiled before noticing Karl holding something out to her, she too knew it was something she had requested before, just a few days after Seth had proposed to her. She knew now was as good as any time to reveal what she had planned since finding out the colours of the girls dresses and something special for her aunt Crystal who had been like a mother to her throughout the years. 

“For you guys. I sent Karl here on an errand a few days after I got engaged. I didn’t want to be the only one to feel like a princess on the special day. Especially since I have felt like one every day since the event so many years ago. So these are for you guys” calmly spoke Paige as Karl handed her the boxes one at a time, watching as she gave them to the person they were intended for. Even giving one to her aunt and uncle. “There’s so much in those vaults, that it felt wrong to keep it to myself. So I chose a thing or two for each of you and had it remodelled to suit you. So for Summer you have a stunning white gold and sapphire necklace and matching bracelet, in the same fashion you pointed on in the jewellery store every time we went shopping as teenagers. Emma you have a special tiara to remind you that no matter what you are a princess and always have been to me. For Renee, I had an emerald necklace remodelled into two identical necklaces. One for you and one for Freya. AJ you always spoke of the small tiara from your favourite Disney movie. So I found a picture of it and got it made for you” added Paige revealing what her two cousins and soon to be family had, seeing the stunned but also amazed smiles on their lips especially at how generous she had been. 

“For Crystal, she had an entire jewellery set redone, in your favourite gem stone. As a way of saying thank you for being there and acting as a mother to her when no one else was there. Kane you have a rather special item she found in the vaults, something Saraya had once given you as a birthday present, as for us protectors, Paige has remodelled some of the things into either a chain or a bracelet for us to wear. Dean, Punk, Roman, Corey and the Wyatt’s also got something as will Seth tomorrow” added Karl revealing in a way it was Paige’s way of saying thank you to them and showing them she had noticed and appreciated them even when they didn’t think she had. 

“The pen mum got you for your birthday when I was one year old. I found it in the vaults along with a little letter. I think its about time it was returned to its rightful owner. And its my way of say thank you for telling me about her in your own way through the stories you used to tell me as a kid” added Paige revealing what she had found in the vaults and had given to Kane, she could always remember when Kane spoke of that present so was amazed to find it hadn’t been destroyed. She knew as soon as she realised what it was that she had to return it to its rightful owner. “I believe that the ones made for Michelle, Kaia and Dad would have gotten to them by now” added Paige revealing she had sent something for her step mother, younger sister and father. Kane could only look around the room to see his niece and two daughters really did have everything they needed, they knew the truth he had kept hidden from his own brother for so long. 

The day of the wedding come around soon enough, Kane and Crystal stayed at the mansion with the girls through the night, being thankful the four known as the demons had anticipated that and set up an extra room for them. Mark, Michelle and Kaia would be getting ready for the big event now, as would the others. The boys back at Architects Armoury getting the final pieces for the reception in place, where as the final touches would also be done at the hotel hosting the main wedding. Paige and the girls would be treated so they had a relaxing morning, something AJ Styles had been pretty insistent on as had Karl, both of which had already found and settle down with that special someone. 

“The make artist has arrived for the maid of hour, bridesmaids and the bride. Summer and Emma have already left for the venue, just to make sure everything is set to go there, Luke went with them and the missing bridesmaid has arrived” spoke Finn, a small smile on his lips as he watched the four girls getting their hair and make up done. “I’d better get going, Seth would be wondering where I am. So you my friend are in charge of the girls. Kane will be back soon so he can go to the hotel with the girls” added Finn directly to AJ, both of them were already in their tux. He could still remember when Seth asked him to be one of the grooms men, Punk being the other one with Dean being the best man. Roman would be in attendance and the one keeping an eye on Kaia and Michelle. AJ could only nod and straighten his tie knowing Summer would catch him out if he didn’t as would his own wife in Wendy. 

“They’ll be fine and at the venue on time. You know the princess would end up murdering me if she misses her own wedding” responded AJ a small smile coming to his lips at the thought of a vengeful Paige, he soon waved goodbye to his good friend as he was left in charge of everything with the girls, he knew Becky was ecstatic to be one of the bridesmaids, just as AJ was more than happy to comply and be there for her future sister in law on her special day. Renee on the other hand had taken the role of Maid of Honour rather seriously, just as she knew why the bride had chosen her for that particular role. Like AJ, Renee had been there for her ever since they had met, yet Paige had helped her when both Seth and Dean went on the run, being there for every step of her pregnancy and giving her the hope and encouragement she needed to believe they would come back. 

“Are the girls okay?” asked Seth upon seeing Finn arrive, the happiness clear to hear in his voice as the excitement and nerves over the events to come were beginning to show in the way he acted, adjusting his tie every now and again and pacing the room as if trying to contain the emotions running rapid in his mind and through his veins. “No cold feet or anything?” added the Iowan the concern coming to his eyes upon asking that, showing he generally did fear Paige not turning up or walking away for some reason or another. He even feared something would happen resulting them not being husband and wife. Finn could only look on at least thankful he could give the man some good news on that aspect. 

“They’re fine. AJ, Luke and Karl are there with them and Kane will be on his way to the mansion now. No cold feet from the bride only excitement and a little nerves. She’s been looking forward to this most of the night. All the girls are with the make up and hair people so they can get ready” responded Finn giving Seth the good news of Paige being just as excited and nervous about the event as the groom to be was. He soon got hold of the box he knew was intended for Seth just as he could see Punk and Dean wearing their chain or bracelet. “Paige asks your wear this, she had it remodelled for you from some of the things in the vaults. Dean and Punk are already wearing there’s and the girls should be wearing theirs today as well. Oh and this one if for Freya, Renee has the matching one” added Finn giving the two boxes to the two whom they would intended for. Dean smiled upon seeing the necklace for his young daughter, just as Seth willingly wore the small bracelet she had done for him. 

“See told you the said Princess wouldn’t change her mind. She loves you too much and knows what she wants. She’s not going to leave you anytime soon little brother” spoke Punk revealing both he and Dean had been trying to settle Seth’s nerves on whether or not the bride would actually show up. It wasn’t long before there was a beeping noise, to which Seth just smiled and put his hair in a bun at the base of his skull, a proud smile coming to his lips as he knew what the alarm was signalling. The guests were about to arrive and that meant Seth had to get in place as it would mean the bride would be on her way to the hotel in around twenty minutes. The boys soon went to their places, Punk and Finn stood behind Dean and Seth, the latter of which fidgeting as the nerves he was feeling began to take a hold the more time went on, the closer the time drew nearer for that special event he hoped would only happen once to him. 

“Seth stop fidgeting or I’m going to handcuff your hands behind your back” whispered Dean as the guests found their seats. He noticed Emma and Summer had arrived as had Paige’s father, sister and step mother. Even Crystal had, she was happily making conversation with her in laws a small smile on her lips as she did so. Although she would admit she was surprised when Paige asked Kane to walk her down the isle rather than her own father. “Who’s walking Paige down the isle?” asked Dean upon seeing Mark was already there, sat next to his young daughter as he waited to watch the event. Seth could only look around at his best friend and smile upon hearing the question, he knew that would be a surprise only a few knew of, and something Paige herself had decided on after a lot of thinking. 

It wasn’t too much longer before the music signalling the bride was ready to walk down the isle began to play. Becky made her way down the isle in her black bridesmaid gown and holding the bouquet of roses, her jewellery displayed with pride as she smiled, AJ followed her soon after both women watching as Renee come down the isle after in the matching dress to both of the women before her. Paige soon appeared at the top of the isle, dressed in the beautiful white gown with the veil flowing down behind her and over her shoulders, the hair piece Kane had given to her the day before place gently in her loosely curled hair. Her arm was linked with Kane’s as he leader her carefully down the isle, a proud smile on his lips at being given the chance to do so although he knew there would be questions from his brother about it. Upon reaching the alter, he gave Paige’s hand to Seth before taking his seat next to Summer, the same smile on his lips as he watched the ceremony only hoping no one disrupted the special day. 

A/N – Thank you for reading. This is the end of this particular story but the next one will be up soon. Thanks again x


End file.
